More than half of people prosecuted for purchasing sex have escaped a conviction and were instead directed to pay into the court poor box.
According to figures from Justice Minister Helen McEntee, 31 people were prosecuted last year for buying sex.
Of those, 18 people were directed to pay into the poor box.
Additionally, one person charged in relation to “brothel keeping” had their case struck out while three people had cases struck out for payment for engaging in sexual activity with a prostitute.
More than €1m was paid to charities across the country last year from the court poor box.
A spokesperson for the Courts Service said:
“The accused may never previously have been before the courts, the accused may have pleaded guilty, a conviction might be inappropriate, or might adversely affect employment, or working abroad prospects, and the offence may be of a minor or less serious nature.”
A review of sex offence laws is likely to be concluded before the end of the year.
Under the Sexual Offences Act 2017, those who offer their services as a sex worker are not committing an offence, but brothel keeping is an offence.
Part 4 of the legislation introduced two new offences — payment for sexual activity with a prostitute, and paying for sexual activity with a trafficked person.
Linda Kavanagh of the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland said the figures are “evidence that the law is not working”, with small numbers of people being prosecuted and sex workers fearing prosecution for brothel keeping if found working with another sex worker.
She also raised concerns about letters being received by public representatives in Kerry which contained photos of sex workers and addresses where they were operating in local towns.
She said: “Need we remind people that sex work is supposed to be decriminalised in Ireland?
“Surveillance of women going to a place of work by an anonymous group is harassment.”
