IE
(LRC Revised)
Statutory Text (1 Articles)
Number 20 of 1993
CRIMINAL LAW (SEXUAL OFFENCES) ACT 1993
REVISED
Updated to 22 December 2022
Changes to legislation
as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993
. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under
the
Law Reform Commission Act 1975
(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation
of statute law.
All Acts up to and including
Local Government (Maternity
Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Act 2022
(52/2022), enacted 21 December 2022, and all statutory instruments up to and including
Appointment of Special Adviser (Minister of State at the Department of Health)
(No. 2) Order 2022
(S.I. No. 740 of 2022), made 13 December 2022, were considered
in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,
the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,
undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature
of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from
any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email
to
revisedacts@lawreform.ie.
Number
20
of
1993
CRIMINAL LAW (SEXUAL OFFENCES) ACT 1993
REVISED
Updated to 22 December
2022
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
1.
Interpretation.
2.
Abolition of offence of buggery between persons.
3.
Buggery of persons under 17 years of age.
4.
Gross indecency with males under 17 years of age.
5.
Protection of mentally impaired persons.
6.
Soliciting or importuning for purposes of commission of sexual offence.
7.
Soliciting or importuning for purposes of prostitution.
7A.
Payment etc. for sexual activity with prostitute.
8.
Loitering for purposes of prostitution.
9.
Organisation of prostitution.
10.
Living on earnings of prostitution.
11.
Brothel keeping.
12.
Amendment of section 19 of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1935 (search of brothels).
13.
Powers of arrest.
14.
Repeals.
15.
Short title and collective citation.
SCHEDULE
Enactments Repealed
Acts Referred to
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885
48 & 49 Vict., c. 69
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1912
2 & 3 Geo. 5, c. 20
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1935
1935, No. 6
Criminal Law Amendment Acts, 1885 to 1935
Dublin Police Act, 1842
5 & 6 Vict., c. 24
Offences against the Person Act, 1861
24 & 25 Vict., c. 100
Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act, 1854
17 & 18 Vict., c. 103
Town Police Clauses Act, 1847
10 & 11 Vict., c. 89
Vagrancy Act, 1898
61 & 62 Vict., c. 39
Number
20
of
1993
CRIMINAL LAW (SEXUAL OFFENCES) ACT 1993
REVISED
Updated to 22 December
2022
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW IN RELATION TO SEXUAL OFFENCES AND FOR THAT PURPOSE TO AMEND
THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON ACT, 1861, IN RELATION TO BUGGERY; TO AMEND THE CRIMINAL
LAW AMENDMENT ACTS, 1885 TO 1935; TO REPEAL THE VAGRANCY ACT, 1898, AND CERTAIN PROVISIONS
OF CERTAIN OTHER ENACTMENTS RELATING TO SEXUAL OFFENCES AND TO PROVIDE FOR CONNECTED
MATTERS. [7
th July
, 1993]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS
Annotations
Editorial Notes
E1
A number of Acts refer to offences under this Act as disqualifying or potentially
disqualifying offences, or as otherwise meriting certain treatment. They include
•
Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016
(4/2016), s. 5 and sch. 1
•
Children First Act 2015
(36/2015), s. 2 (sexual abuse included in the definition of harm)
•
Taxi Regulation Act 2013
(37/2013), ss. 10, 30 and 31 and sch. part 1 item 8
•
Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable
Persons) Act 2012
(24/2012), s. 2 and sch. 1
•
Children Act 2001
(24/2001), ss. 251, 253-257 and sch. 1
•
Sex Offenders Act 2001
(18/2001), ss. 3, 10 and sch. paras. 12, 14
•
Bail Act 1997
(16/1997), s. 1 and sch. 1 paras. 12, 29 and 30
•
Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997
(4/1997), s. 10 and sch. 1
•
Civil Legal Aid Act 1995
(32/1995), s. 26 as amended by
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008
(14/2008), s. 78
•
Criminal Evidence Act 1992
(12/1992), s. 2 (included in definition of sexual offence) and Part III
•
Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1981
(10/1981), ss. 3, 4A(6) as amended by
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Act 2007
(6/2007), s. 3(1), (2)
Annotations
Editorial Notes
E1
A number of Acts refer to offences under this Act as disqualifying or potentially
disqualifying offences, or as otherwise meriting certain treatment. They include
•
Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016
(4/2016), s. 5 and sch. 1
•
Children First Act 2015
(36/2015), s. 2 (sexual abuse included in the definition of harm)
•
Taxi Regulation Act 2013
(37/2013), ss. 10, 30 and 31 and sch. part 1 item 8
•
Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable
Persons) Act 2012
(24/2012), s. 2 and sch. 1
•
Children Act 2001
(24/2001), ss. 251, 253-257 and sch. 1
•
Sex Offenders Act 2001
(18/2001), ss. 3, 10 and sch. paras. 12, 14
•
Bail Act 1997
(16/1997), s. 1 and sch. 1 paras. 12, 29 and 30
•
Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997
(4/1997), s. 10 and sch. 1
•
Civil Legal Aid Act 1995
(32/1995), s. 26 as amended by
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008
(14/2008), s. 78
•
Criminal Evidence Act 1992
(12/1992), s. 2 (included in definition of sexual offence) and Part III
•
Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1981
(10/1981), ss. 3, 4A(6) as amended by
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Act 2007
(6/2007), s. 3(1), (2)
Section
1.
Interpretation.
2.
Abolition of offence of buggery between persons.
3.
Buggery of persons under 17 years of age.
4.
Gross indecency with males under 17 years of age.
5.
Protection of mentally impaired persons.
6.
Soliciting or importuning for purposes of commission of sexual offence.
7.
Soliciting or importuning for purposes of prostitution.
7A.
Payment etc. for sexual activity with prostitute.
8.
Loitering for purposes of prostitution.
9.
Organisation of prostitution.
10.
Living on earnings of prostitution.
11.
Brothel keeping.
12.
Amendment of section 19 of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1935 (search of brothels).
13.
Powers of arrest.
14.
Repeals.
15.
Short title and collective citation.
SCHEDULE
Enactments Repealed