Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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179. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the need to create a standalone offence to prevent sex-for-rent exploitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3730/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting the scourge of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will be a key focus for me as Minister.

I know the Deputy will agree that any behaviour from accommodation providers seeking to use their position to prey on vulnerable people is completely unacceptable. The Government is seeking to address this exploitative behaviour by making the offering or advertising of accommodation for sex in lieu of rent a specific criminal offence.

Work is ongoing between my Department and the office of the Attorney General on a suitable provision to address this.

However, it should be noted that, while a specific offence criminalising ‘sex for rent’ is under consideration, section 9 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 already provides for the offence of coercion, to compel a person to commit an act through violence or intimidation. In addition, the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 extended the scope of the existing harassment offence under section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 to cover persistent conduct that causes alarm, distress or harm. Section 10(3) of the 1997 Act as amended now sets out a non-exhaustive list of the types of conduct which can constitute harassment.