Review of prostitution laws best way to criminalise sex-for-rent demands, says Helen McEntee

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee: A tender will go out this week for a lead researcher to complete a review of current prostitution laws.

Addressing sex for rent demands through prostitution laws is the appropriate way of tackling such demands through legislation, according to the Justice Minister.

Helen McEntee said a tender will go out this week for a lead researcher to complete a review of current prostitution laws, which are governed by Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) 2017.

The Government is awaiting finalisation of the review before moving legislatively on the issue of sex for rent. The legislation criminalises payment for sexual activity with a prostitute or a trafficked person.

The Ban on Sex for Rent Bill, was introduced by Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan 18 months ago, after an Irish Examiner investigation into sex for rent propositions in the housing market.

The bill was rejected after pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas justice committee because of concerns with the legislation.

The Department of Justice then pledged that legislative proposals will be considered following the review of Part 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 2017.

The review was due to be completed at the end of last year but has been delayed. In recent months, the lead researcher stepped back from the project after a mutual decision reached by her and the Department of Justice.

'Important review'

Ms McEntee said: “The tender is going out in the next few days. This is for someone to replace Maura Butler who had been working on this and the intention is that the huge amount of work that she has already done — that won’t have to start from the beginning, that this new person will take this on and obviously be able to finish this review.

“It is important that we get it done as quickly as possible. The tender will go out in the coming days and we will have somebody appointed very soon.”

When asked if any other avenue was being examined in how sex for rent demands should be tackled legislatively, she said: “I think it is important that we move these two together. I think it is the appropriate vehicle to do that. That is why it is important that we get this review finished. 

"There is a good body of work done already on it and it is about making sure that it is finalised as soon as possible so that we can address other matters as well and move them forward together.”

In recent weeks, Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin published legislation seeking to criminalise a landlord seeking a sex-for-rent arrangement. It would also criminalise the advertising of such offers under the Residential Tenancies Act.