Cabinet to approve bill to change law around consent and belief in rape cases

Justice Minister  Helen McEntee at the launch of the Government's Zero Tolerance strategy to combat domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence or the attitudes which underpin it. Picture: Maxwells

Ministers are due to sign off on a bill to change the law on consent, knowledge, and belief in rape cases.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is bringing forward proposals that will alter the current situation where an accused is not guilty of rape if he honestly believed that he had the consent of the complainant.