Sex-for-rent law proposals will be examined once review finishes

Part 4 of the legislation introduced two new offences — the payment for sexual activity with a prostitute, and paying for sexual activity with a trafficked person.

Under the legislation, provision was also included for a review of these provisions after a period of three years and the terms of reference were published in July 2020.

Part of the review is an assessment of the impact of the legislation on the welfare of those who engage in sexual activity for payment.

The review is currently in its final stages, according to the Department of Justice.

A spokesman told the Irish Examiner: “The review is being conducted independently of the department, but it is expected it will be completed by the end of the year. Once received, any recommendations made will be considered as a priority.”

Rape Crisis Network executive director Clíona Saidléar said that the critical part for the network is the implementation of the legislation. She said: “We hope that the review will have taken a proper look at the evidence and see is the implementation happening, do we need to invest more in implementation.”

Meanwhile, after the Oireachtas justice committee recommended in October that the Ban on Sex for Rent Bill 2022 should not proceed through the Dáil because of concerns with the legislation, the Departments of Justice and Housing said that legislative proposals will be considered when recommendations from the review of Part 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 2017 are made.

The bill was introduced in the Dáil in March by Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian O’Callaghan, in response to an investigation into sex-for-rent arrangements by the Irish Examiner.

Mr O’Callaghan said: “It is very disappointing that it is taking the Government so long to address this terrible exploitation.

They need to act with a sense of urgency.

Earlier this year, one sex-for-rent case highlighted by the Irish Examiner involved accommodation in Co Clare being offered online to a “slim Ukrainian” woman, with an expectation of sex “after a while”.

The landlord demanded a photo from a prospective tenant and refused to reveal the exact location of the property or send photos of it if a photo was not sent to him first.