Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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197. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1091 of 18 January 2023, the legislative changes required in order for Ireland to fully ratify the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography; the expected timeline for Ireland to ratify the optional protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8982/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government is firmly committed to ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, several legislative measures have been implemented which were necessary to ensure that Ireland is in compliance with the obligations of the Optional Protocol. Enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 and the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 were significant steps on the pathway to the ratification of the Optional Protocol.

Further smaller legislative amendments relating to the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements under Article 3.1 will ensure that the State is in compliance with certain outstanding aspects of the Protocol. These amendments have been included in the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022 which was approved for publication by the Government on 27 July 2022. Finalisation and publication of the Bill is pending receipt and consideration of the pre-legislative scrutiny report. Once enacted, Ireland should be in a position to ratify the Second Optional Protocol.