Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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522. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the likely date of ratification of the second optional protocol on the UNCRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, as Ireland is now one of only 20 countries yet to ratify the protocol. [29462/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, 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 on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023, which is currently before the Houses, will remove the final obstacles to ratification of the Protocol. The Bill will deal with the issues relating to extra-territorial jurisdiction and amend the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Act 2008 by the insertion of the Second Optional Protocol to the list of international agreements to which the Act of 2008 applies, to ensure that Ireland is compliant with the requirements of the Protocol. The Bill is expected to complete its passage through the Oireachtas next week.

Once the outstanding legal obstacles have been removed, ratification of the Second Optional Protocol is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.