Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
301. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice when Ireland intends to sign up to and ratify the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18849/23]
View answer309. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice when he plans to ratify the 2nd optional protocol on the UNCRC OPSC in 2023; and the specific legislative barriers that are preventing Ireland from ratifying the OPSC. [18755/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 309 together.
The Government is firmly committed to ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, several legislative measures have been implemented which were necessary to ensure that Ireland is in compliance with the obligations of the Optional Protocol. Enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 and the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 were significant steps on the pathway to the ratification of the Optional Protocol.
Further smaller legislative amendments relating to the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements under Article 3.1 will ensure that the State is in compliance with certain outstanding aspects of the Protocol. These amendments have been included in the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022, which underwent pre-legislative scrutiny in December. The Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice was published on 8 March and can be found at www.oireachtas.ie/en/committees/33/justice/.
The Report is being reviewed by my Department and all recommendations therein are being carefully considered. I expect to be in a position to publish the text of the Bill in the coming weeks. Once enacted, Ireland should be in a position to ratify the Second Optional Protocol.
