“Love makes us patient,” says Pope. “So many times we lose patience, even me, and I apologise for yesterday’s bad example.”

New chief executive, Barbara Condon, has more than 20 years' experience in the health care sector.

Alliance wants to meet with Gardaí to discuss the continued implementation of the more recent Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, and ensure it is used in the way in which it was intended – to support those who are sexually exploited.

They may not look like victims of sex trafficking because they are not locked away, and they may be able to attend health checks or go to Western Union to wire some money home.

“We know that buyers don’t care about the welfare of the person they are seeking so-called ‘sexual services’ from, even when they are victims of trafficking. Paying for sex is not an expression of sexuality: it is primarily the assertion of male dominance over women.”

“Despite the formal abolition of the slave trade, the exploitation of some human beings by others has not ended and now takes place in terrible new forms on a significantly large scale.”

“We are deeply disappointed that no convictions against sex buyers have been secured under this legislation to date. The law cannot therefore be said to have been fully implemented” – Sarah Benson, CEO, Ruhama.

“It is now illegal to purchase sex in this country and the penalties for organising and profiting from prostitution have been increased. More needs to be done to ensure that these laws are properly enforced.”

“Targeting buyers means we can reduce the demand for women and children to be coerced into selling sexual services” –Turn off the Red Light.

“There needs to be a consistent approach that supports those in prostitution and where we see pimps and other exploiters being prosecuted, not the women,” Ruhama said.

On the Feast of the Assumption, Pontiff calls attention to women "forced to surrender in both body and spirit to the avarice of men".

301 women were assisted by the NGO according to the 2015 Annual Report including 94 victims of sex trafficking, an increase of six over the previous year (88 in 2014).

Ruhama is urging the next government to make the Sexual Offences Bill an absolute priority and place it at the top of their agenda as soon as they come to power.

President of RENATE and spokeswoman for Act to Prevent Trafficking (APT) jointly criticise Amnesty International’s stance on prostitution.

There is broad acceptance across political parties about the links between organised crime & prostitution & the need to put these gangs out of business.

Contribution of religious congregations to the efforts to eradicate human trafficking and provide care and support to victims recognised.

"Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity" Pontiff warns at UN General Assembly in New York.

Sexual Offences Bill will be an opportunity to “wreck the business model” for pimps and traffickers and ensure that Ireland is no longer a safe haven for such crimes.

“In recent days the large scale loss of life in the Mediterranean Sea has once again highlighted human trafficking as a real and present problem” - Primate.

Bishop McAreavey calls for law to criminalise the purchase of sex to be enacted quickly in the Republic of Ireland.

Catholic Primate says New Year's resolution should include personal and public awareness of what trafficking is and how it can be prevented.

Setting up of Charities Regulatory Authority “a watershed moment for transparency” for charities in Ireland.

Message for ‘World Day of Peace’ tackles human slavery, migration, slave labour, organ trafficking, those forced into prostitution, and child soldiers.

Bill will hold sex buyers to account for their key role in fuelling organised crime and perpetrating abuse against victims of trafficking and exploitation.

Speaking at the launch of Ruhama's annual report, Senator Bacik says criminalising the purchaser has resulted in a reduction in prostitution and trafficking in Sweden.

“Crucial” that Minister Fitzgerald implements legislation to criminalise the purchase of sexual services in the Republic: Ruhama.

"Grooming has been something Ireland has lacked the legislative mechanisms required to deal with up until now.”

“Prostitution is inherently violent towards women and girls” former US president warns.

Ruhama calls for “more proactive criminal investigation of the sex trade and other environments where other forms of trafficking can occur.”

“In passing this resolution, the European Parliament is acknowledging the intrinsic link between prostitution and trafficking for sexual exploitation.”