Sexual Offences Bill restored to Dáil order of business

[Dom Dunn]

They are off on their 10 week holiday, at the close of business next week. If there really was a trafficking issue sure they would have passed relevant updated legislation on it by now! Interestingly, Laura's case will have had its first hearing In The Belfast High court by the end of September, so that could be an interesting new factor
Also IMHO, the country loses nothing by having them not acting the bollocks in the Dáil, off on their jolies, except of course we have to pay for them and at totally obscene levels!

Yes and they wanted to break up in early July. With respect to the Bill there may still be a window of opportunity to table amendments which would hopefully lessen the impact of the legislation and perhaps even an outside chance that the bill can be restructured with the pertinent sections withdrawn pending a full and proper analysis which incidently was not entered into in the first place. The proceedings in the High Court in Belfast may also impact favourably hopefully on the outcome. In a nutshell I believe for the first time TORL are well and truely on the back foot and advantage should be taken if possible.

[paddywack]

Yes and they wanted to break up in early July. With respect to the Bill there may still be a window of opportunity to table amendments which would hopefully lessen the impact of the legislation and perhaps even an outside chance that the bill can be restructured with the pertinent sections withdrawn pending a full and proper analysis which incidently was not entered into in the first place. The proceedings in the High Court in Belfast may also impact favourably hopefully on the outcome. In a nutshell I believe for the first time TORL are well and truely on the back foot and advantage should be taken if possible.

it doesnt matter, it will be passed and at present clients are not breaking the law but when this bill is in force we will, we will be criminals, law breakers, a fine is a fine, our names will be noted for again and on top of that we are the ones taking all the risks while the escorts sit in their apartments, safe as houses waiting for us.

[The Libertarian]

it doesnt matter, it will be passed and at present clients are not breaking the law but when this bill is in force we will, we will be criminals, law breakers, a fine is a fine, our names will be noted for again and on top of that we are the ones taking all the risks while the escorts sit in their apartments, safe as houses waiting for us.

Under the current proposal, escorts face criminal sanctions including up to 6 months imprisonment for a first offence, it is a savage attack on both sex worker and client and civil liberties in general! It is mostly about making sex workers suffer - loss of livelihood, increased stigmatization, more assaults by forcing the business underground and which has been the actual Swedish experience more trafficking!
It's very very nasty and evil stuff promulgated by Nutters for the most part!

[MidlifeCrisis]

Yes and they wanted to break up in early July. With respect to the Bill there may still be a window of opportunity to table amendments which would hopefully lessen the impact of the legislation and perhaps even an outside chance that the bill can be restructured with the pertinent sections withdrawn pending a full and proper analysis which incidently was not entered into in the first place. The proceedings in the High Court in Belfast may also impact favourably hopefully on the outcome. In a nutshell I believe for the first time TORL are well and truely on the back foot and advantage should be taken if possible.

Very optimistic, but I can't see any watering down happening - there just aren't enough voices on our side of the argument.

[Dom Dunn]

Very optimistic, but I can't see any watering down happening - there just aren't enough voices on our side of the argument.

You may well be right but there ought to be greater optimism in the air in light of the generally more favourable situation that appears to have evolved in recent months. The penny may never drop with the Minister but there is a chance that wiser council within the DOJ may prevail and spur a rethink. Sometimes you don't need an avalanche of voices but if a few key players can be convinced to come on side it may engender a positive response.

[alcatel]

it doesnt matter, it will be passed and at present clients are not breaking the law but when this bill is in force we will, we will be criminals, law breakers, a fine is a fine, our names will be noted for again and on top of that we are the ones taking all the risks while the escorts sit in their apartments, safe as houses waiting for us.

This is a completely misguided and uninformed view.
Neither side is truly at ease under the current situation and when the new law is in place, it won't do much for escorts either (or their safety) and indeed is, in the main going to hurt those escorts who freely chose to do it, by potentially hitting at their livelihood , this is the main function of this law.

[Dom Dunn]

This is a completely misguided and uninformed view.
Neither side is truly at ease under the current situation and when the new law is in place, it won't do much for escorts either (or their safety) and indeed is, in the main going to hurt those escorts who freely chose to do it, by potentially hitting at their livelihood , this is the main function of this law.

Yes fully agree with you. This madness in the short term will hit escorts in their pockets and in the medium to long term do nothing to improve their legal standing and will further compromise their safety. Sadly few lawmakers seem to give a shit about
this.