Govt promises urgent action on statutory rape laws

The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have vowed that the Government will take urgent action to deal with the situation surrounding statutory rape laws in Ireland.

The law as it currently stands makes it an automatic crime for a man to have sex with a girl under the age of 15, regardless of whether it was consensual.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that this was unconstitutional as it makes no provision for the fact that the accused may not have known the girl's real age.

Speaking in the Dáil today, Bertie Ahern said the situation would have to be addressed "as speedily as possible" and said the Attorney General and Department of Justice were already looking into the matter.

Mary Harney added that Justice Minister Michael McDowell planned to bring proposals to the Government within the next two weeks.