Sex trade laws - Target the sex clients

Oireachtas hearings on how we might change our laws to try to control the sex business begin today.

The objective is to offer protection to the 1,000 women offered for sale in Ireland via the internet every day.

The core principle of a proposal is to target those who buy sex. Those organisations believe this is the best way to tackle the crime gangs who traffic or kidnap women to support this sinister business.

Twelve years ago Sweden changed its laws to make buying sex illegal. Today there are 250 prostitutes for sale on the internet in Sweden, a country with a population of 9.5m, compared to the 1,000 in Ireland.

This idea seems too good to ignore.