Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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543.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the opt-in to the Directive on Combating the Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse Material will impact on terminology in existing Irish legislation; how it could affect prosecutions; how she proposes to counter that; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24957/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Child sexual abuse is among the most heinous of crimes.

I am pleased that Dáil Éireann has recently approved the State’s opt-in to the recast Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA.

This Directive, which is now before the Seanad, introduces targeted new provisions aimed at addressing technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse as well as updating the terminology used to describe these crimes. The term “child pornography” is outdated and fails to reflect the full horror of the sexual abuse involved in the images described. If the opt-in is approved by the Seanad, this issue will be addressed as the State transposes the provisions of the Directive.

The transposition of the Directive will be subject to detailed scrutiny by officials in my Department and by the Attorney-General’s Office to ensure that this is achieved in a manner which is legally sound and which does not result in unintended consequences for our criminal justice system.