(LRC Revised)

Number 24 of 2012

CRIMINAL JUSTICE (WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION ON OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE PERSONS) ACT 2012

REVISED

Updated to 30 May 2025

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

Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable

Persons) Act 2012

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

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 the

Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025

(4/2025), enacted 20 May 2025, and all statutory

instruments up to and including the

Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable

Persons) Act 2012 (Prescribed Organisations and Prescribed Persons) Order 2025

(S.I. No. 224 of 2025), made 29 May 2025, 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

24

of

2012

CRIMINAL JUSTICE (WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION ON OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE

PERSONS) ACT 2012

REVISED

Updated to 30 May 2025

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1. Interpretation.

2. Offence of withholding information on certain offences against children.

3. Offence of withholding information on certain offences against vulnerable persons.

4. Defences to offence under

section 2

or

3

.

5. Prescribed organisations.

6. Prescribed persons.

7. Penalties.

8. Amendment of section 9 of Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998.

9. Amendment of section 16(2) of Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act

2012.

10. Orders.

11. Expenses.

12. Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULE 1

Offences against children for purposes of offence under

section 2

SCHEDULE 2

Offences against vulnerable persons for purposes of offence under

section 3

Acts Referred to

Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998

1998, No. 22

Children Act 2001

2001, No. 24

Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010

2010, No. 24

Criminal Justice Act 2006

2006, No. 26

Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012

2012, No. 11

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008

2008, No. 8

Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990

1990, No. 32

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993

1993, No. 20

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006

2006, No. 15

Criminal Law Act 1997

1997, No. 14

Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005

2005, No. 27

Medical Practitioners Act 2007

2007, No. 25

Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997

1997, No. 26

Nurses and Midwives Act 2011

2011, No. 41

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998

1998, No. 39

Punishment of Incest Act 1908

8 Edw. 7, c.45

Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act 1996

1996, No. 38

Number

24

of

2012

CRIMINAL JUSTICE (WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION ON OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE

PERSONS) ACT 2012

REVISED

Updated to 30 May 2025

AN ACT TO PROVIDE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND CERTAIN VULNERABLE

ADULTS, FOR OFFENCES OF WITHHOLDING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE COMMISSION OF CERTAIN

ARRESTABLE OFFENCES (INCLUDING CERTAIN SEXUAL OFFENCES) AGAINST CHILDREN, OR CERTAIN

ARRESTABLE OFFENCES (INCLUDING CERTAIN SEXUAL OFFENCES) AGAINST SUCH ADULTS, IN CERTAIN

CIRCUMSTANCES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE AMENDMENT OF SECTION 9 OF THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE

STATE (AMENDMENT) ACT 1998; TO AMEND SECTION 16 OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE (FEMALE GENITAL

MUTILATION) ACT 2012; AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.

[18

th July

, 2012]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1. Interpretation.

2. Offence of withholding information on certain offences against children.

3. Offence of withholding information on certain offences against vulnerable persons.

4. Defences to offence under

section 2

or

3

.

5. Prescribed organisations.

6. Prescribed persons.

7. Penalties.

8. Amendment of section 9 of Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998.

9. Amendment of section 16(2) of Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act

2012.

10. Orders.

11. Expenses.

12. Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULE 1

Offences against children for purposes of offence under

section 2

SCHEDULE 2

Offences against vulnerable persons for purposes of offence under

section 3