Two high-profile organisations that support victims of sexual violence have condemned Amnesty International for voting in favour of decriminalising prostitution, and one has cancelled its membership of the human rights body.

Limerick should create a “tolerance zone” for prostitution rather than trying to eradicate it, an international trade union for sex workers has said.

Chambers Ireland, which represents businesses across the country, has joined the campaign to bring in laws to end the exploitation, abuse and trafficking of women and girls by criminalising the buying of sex.

Anti-prostitution advocates will today tell the Oireachtas Justice Committee why they want the buyers of sex to be targeted by new laws aimed at ending the exploitation, abuse, and trafficking of women and children in this country.

The chance to end a sex trade which places 1,000 women for sale on the internet has arrived, writes Denise Charlton