Sinn Féin to publish new law to ban sex-for-rent

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin said: 'Seeking sex for rent is a disgusting predatory form of behaviour. It should be outlawed'

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has published legislation today which would criminalise a landlord seeking a sex-for-rent arrangement. File photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

New legislation to criminalise sex-for-rent offers will be brought before the Dáil by Sinn Féin next month in a second bid by opposition parties to ban such arrangements.

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has published legislation today which would criminalise a landlord seeking a sex-for-rent arrangement. It would also criminalise the advertising of such offers under the Residential Tenancies Act.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Sex for Rent) Bill 2023 will be introduced in the Dáil 18 months after the Ban on Sex for Rent Bill 2022 was brought by Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan following an investigation by the Irish Examiner into sex-for-rent practices in Ireland.

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The investigation found properties across the country being offered at reduced or no rent in return for sexual favours, while those offered such propositions spoke out about the impact such offers had on them.

Despite all-party support, the Ban on Sex for Rent Bill was halted at committee level. The government is awaiting the completion of a review of Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) 2017, before moving legislatively on the issue.

Last Friday, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee admitted there was no timeframe for legislating against sex-for-rent propositions.

Referencing the investigation by the Irish Examiner and last week’s Primetime Investigates programme on the issue, Deputy Ó Broin said: “Seeking sex for rent is a disgusting predatory form of behaviour. It should be outlawed.” 

"The Bill I am publishing today is an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act. It would make it an offence under section 19 of that Act for a landlord to seek sex in lieu of rent or to advertise for such arrangements.

It is unacceptable that vulnerable tenants would be exposed to this kind of abhorrent behaviour. It is also unacceptable that almost two years since the issue was first brought to the public attention and a full year after legislation passed in the Dáil that Government has failed to act.

In the UK in recent months, Britain's Home Office commissioned a survey on the issue, seeking to hear from those affected by such propositions while looking for a rental property.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman said that there are currently no plans to conduct such a survey in Ireland.

She added: “While the review of part 4 is a priority, the department is also considering how best to protect vulnerable people who are at risk of being in this situation as soon as possible. We are working closely with colleagues in Department of Housing to establish appropriate safeguards in this regard.”