Harmon welcomes Government action on ‘sex for rent’ exploitation
Harmon welcomes Government action on ‘sex for rent’ exploitation - The Labour Party
Labour’s Further and Higher Education Spokesperson Senator Laura Harmon has welcomed news that a Bill tackling ‘sex for rent’ is to go to Cabinet this week, calling it a long overdue step towards outlawing a deeply abusive practice. The Labour Party has long campaigned to criminalise the act of seeking sex in exchange for free or reduced rent, and only last month published its own Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025 to address this issue. Senator Harmon has urged Government to move swiftly to deliver real protections, particularly for women at risk of homelessness.
Senator Harmon said:
“I welcome that this is being brought to cabinet today and that the Minister has acted following the publication of my Bill last month and engagement with me and civil society organisations. Sex for rent is not just an issue of exploitation—it is abuse, pure and simple. We in Labour have campaigned to put an end to this practice, and just last month, I introduced our own legislation in the Seanad to do exactly that. The Bill we published – the Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025- sets out in clear terms that seeking sexual acts in exchange for rent is criminal behaviour and should be treated as such.
“The housing crisis has seeped into every crevice of our society. Insecure housing, sky-high rents, and the chronic lack of affordable homes have pushed vulnerable people – especially women – into the shadows, left to navigate impossible and degrading choices. Some landlords are preying on this crisis and offering so-called ‘arrangements’ that are, in reality, deeply coercive and abusive.
“A report from the National Women’s Council last year shone a stark light on just how prevalent this is. Marginalised women, particularly those already at risk of homelessness, are being targeted by men who offer housing in return for sex. This is happening in modern Ireland—and it is a national disgrace.
“For years, Government has acknowledged this growing crisis but failed to act decisively. That’s why Labour brought forward our own Bill last month. This is not a new problem—it is a festering one, and political will is what has been missing.
“This is a moment for real action. Criminalising ‘sex for rent’ is about justice and protection. We must send a clear message: abuse will not be tolerated, no matter the guise under which it presents itself.
“Labour welcomes the news that a Government Bill on this issue is finally going to Cabinet. We await the details but we urge the Government to ensure that the legislation has real teeth.”