Department of Justice NI

[Meursault]

It is broadly similar in both jurisdictions.

The simple answer is no and no. After 15 years of criminalisation, Sweden still has over 1000 sex workers in a country not much larger than Ireland. Clients are still very much active. Working conditions for sex workers have deteriorated considerably though and human trafficking is actually increasing. This law if introduced will solve nothing but it will ensure longterm funding for NGOs and make life more difficult for sex workers.

[Jiberjabber]

That's a rather shitty comparison Mersault, a little below you I think.

[Empirical]

thats the futility of existence. nobody cares about anything in life. Can you remember the criminal that walked out of the four courts a month ago? No.....because we are too busy living our own lives....

my point is that to the escorts and the clients they will say that the swedish model is bad......but to those who are not escorts and not clients (majority) who have no interest in the sex work, you ask them how do they feel about prostitution as in make a vote. they would vote in favour of the swedish model. This in turn puts pressure on those making the rules.

i would actually say that it would be the female part of the majority that is putting pressure on the government. Ireland now with the high standard of living has more females than ever before in professional jobs and they dislike escorting/prostitutes. The professional man and woman have an ideal method of living and it involves marriage, work, family and a holiday in the sun once a year.

That's probably correct.

But: the Westminster parliament voted years ago to abolish capital punishment, and it has remained abolished even though opinion polls show that many people would like it back.

Likewise, Westminster voted to permit abortion in defined circumstances—though this never applied to N Ireland. There's still many people who oppose abortion in any form in the UK.

In both these examples, the parliament was ahead of the general population at the time, so it's possible for legislators to act in (social policy) ways that the general public doesn't agree with.

In N Ireland we have Assembly by theocracy, where belief is more important than facts. Already, there are complaints from someone on the Justice committee that as Dr Huschke disagreed with the committee when she appeared before them, she's clearly biased. It's not only to them that the report doesn't uphold their beliefs, of course; or that any of her views might be informed by previous research. And that the report was complied by a committee rather than an individual is entirely overlooked: the report doesn't include any personal views that the researchers or compliers might have.

[annabel taylor]

annabell im saying legalize it. legalize it, regulate it and tax it......

but i am trying to gauge how the general public feel about and IMO they are leaning towards criminalization.....this is the feeling i get

Form where, any comments Ive been seeing, people have been calling the Swedish model stupid system, only thje government seems pro... journal boards other articles, comments are against Swedish model.

Give the Irish some credit we are all not idiots if anything the abortion debate is more 50/50 than this more and more comments are against the Swedish model

[annabel taylor]

Most that post on those boards are those that have an interest in this in the first place and not a comfortable representation of the public at large. I fear Meursault talks sense....

The older vote of course will be against, but even my own mother came out with legalise it it be safer and she I'm her 60s

The topic spoken on via Facebook etc many medians many different groups End of the day its all nice to care about us tragic women, but when Garda station are close, older people robbed in rural areas, will older vote vote for the huge Garda resources this law will take.

Plus if passed can you see the extra Garda recuirted to tackle this, to any worth while degree?

[Larrii]

thats the irony or if you pay someone for sex and video them it becomes porn.......thats probably the way around, just pretend you are making a porn video.....they cant prosecute that can they?

... and you would need to interview quite a few lady "applicants" before reaching a mature decision.

[samlad]

The DUP had preempted the study as soon as it was released at midnight, claiming it is 'flawed' research. 'Flawed', or contrary to your 'research', Lord Morrow, Paul Givan and Jim Wells?

[Mickey O leary]

It will certainly be introduced.
She should never have got such an important position as Justice Minister as she has a record of incompetence and poor decision making.
Unfortunately I believe its only a matter of time.

If it's introduced in Southern Ireland first then this puts even more pressure on Northern Ireland to introduce it as well.

[Davidontour]

Sweden has a population of nearly 10 million. It's twice that of Ireland's.

Population of Ireland (north and south) is 6.5 million. Sweden is 9.6 million.

[SteveB]

General opinion is that Lord Morrow's bill will go through in the North.

It is opposed by the Official Unionists and the Alliance Party, so the DUP requires Sinn Fein’s support.
It looks like they will get Sinn Fein’s support.

Sinn Fein looks eager to be seen in the North as supporting Roman Catholic Doctrine on sex, especially since they have been forced to take a pro-choice stance on abortion to avoid alienating their left wing Southern voters.
Voting for Lord Morrow's bill will help to placate some of their right-wing members in the North.