SEANAD REPORT:PART OF a Government amendment to a motion calling for measures to combat prostitution could have been written by a pimp, Rónán Mullen (Ind) said.

The independent group of Senators nominated by the Taoiseach deserved gratitude for bringing forward a powerful motion on the need to criminalise the purchasers of sex.

However, he could not understand how Ivana Bacik (Lab) and Katherine Zappone (Ind) had voted for the offensive Government amendment which stated that criminalising the purchase of sex of itself within our legal framework raised complex issues that would have to be addressed, including the possible prosecution of individuals in circumstances in which a gift was given to a person with whom there had been a sexual encounter.

Seanad deputy leader Ivana Bacik (Lab) noted that Minister of State for Equality Kathleen Lynch had committed that the Government would engage over the next six months on a public consultation on the introduction of a law to criminalise the purchase of sex.

During the debate on the motion on Wednesday night Mary White (FF) said they had to face reality. “I am not condoning it but since the beginning of time sex has been purchased. There is a case for saying that women are perhaps being protected from rape because in some countries prostitution is legalised.”

Terry Leyden (FF) said he wanted to congratulate the Government on their “barefaced cronyism in the appointment of Judge Michael White “of the Workers’ Party, a friend of Eamon Gilmore”, and Kevin Cross, who had links with a former Fine Gael minister. Cathaoirleach Paddy Burke said the Seanad had no role in judicial appointments.