Ireland eyes the decriminalisation of prostitutes

IN an area where we have traditionally lagged behind, Ireland is on the cusp of what could be a highly progressive approach to human trafficking.

Officials from the Department of Justice took part in a visit to Sweden last September to assess the impact of the Swedish model of criminalising the user of prostitutes and decriminalising the prostitute herself or — to a much lesser extent — himself.

A report on the trip has been provided to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern but the wheels of progress are slow and there is no sign of that report being made public.