Delivering Results – Labour Senator’s Bill to Ban ‘Sex for Rent’ has passed second stage in the Seanad - The Labour Party
That’s why I published a Bill (Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025 – No. 12 of 2025 – Houses of the Oireachtas to make it an offence to advertise a rental space in lieu of rent, with a fine of up to €50,000 on conviction of such an offence. I am delighted the Bill passed second stage in the Seanad with cross-party support and that Daft.ie have agreed to change their terms and conditions on their site because of this Bill and I will be working with them to identify key words and phrases that should be red flags for anyone trying to place these ads. The Bill also covers text messages, email and verbal propositions.
Take a look on any of the leading rental platforms. You’ll rarely see it committed to print, but once a person makes enquiries, seedy messages of sharing a bed, or an expectation to have sex with the landlord, start emerging. I have heard from students who have said they have seen ads that say: ‘must be willing to share a bed’ , ‘must be willing to have fun in the house’ or ‘must be open-minded’ and it isn’t until they view the property that they realise what is being asked of them.
Those who carry out these acts are clever in the way in which they conduct themselves. They predominantly target migrants, women and young people, as has been highlighted by the Irish Council for International Students. But as more and more young people continue to experience the hard edge of the housing crisis it’s an abuse that is only continuing to grow.
A report published by the National Women’s Council last year highlighted the prevalence of demanding sex for rent. Again, these people target marginalised women, women who are at risk of entering homelessness, offering them the jeopardy of giving sex in lieu of rent or sleeping on the streets.
There’s been no shortage of lipservice by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil when it comes to addressing this growing crisis, but little actual action. Minister McEntee promised to address this through the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023 with amendments, but this failed to come to pass. Given that the Minister for Housing has renters squarely at the bottom of his to-do pile, the onus now must fall on Minister Jim O’Callaghan to end this practice once and for all.
Recent research by the Irish Council for International Students where I am the outgoing Executive Director found that 5% of women international students had been exposed to an ad advertising for sex in lieu of rent. Urgent action is needed to address how the housing crisis affects vulnerable people, in particular sex-for-rent exploitation, to ensure that Ireland remains a welcoming and supportive destination for students and to protect all renters.
The Programme for Government has a commitment to introduce a clear legislative ban on sex for rent and the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan has said that he is consulting with the Attorney General on this. However, we heard the same from the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee and no action was taken. It’s urgent that Ireland sends a clear message that this predatory behaviour will not be tolerated and that the force of the law will come down on anyone who tries to take advantage of vulnerable people in this way. I will be engaging further with Minister Jim O’Callaghan on this to get the amendments in that are needed in order to pass our Bill through Committee Stage.
Senator Laura Harmon