Irish Push to Legalize Prostitution

Veronica Franco


DUBLIN, Ireland - A senior member of the Irish police force has said that prostitutes working in the capital are now making significantly more money than they can earn in most other European cities, and that local law-makers should consider legalizing the business. Like in the UK, prostitution itself is not illegal in the Republic of Ireland, but the law criminalizes many activities associated with it.


Detective Superintendent John McKeown, who heads several investigations into brothel-keeping, told the Irish Independent that there is no evidence that any of the girls are being forced into prostitution, none is underage and most keep 50 percent of their earnings.

McKeown went on to say that the oldest profession in the world is experiencing similar benefits of the booming economy as other industries, and he believes that politicians should consider legalization.

“We have carried out an in-depth investigation into organized prostitution over the past 18 months and we have found no evidence of exploitation or trafficking,” McKeown told the Irish Independent. “There are no gangs involved and there is little violence.”

“The youngest girls appear to be 19 and most are in their 20’s and early 30’s. We have found no evidence of underage girls working - the pimps don't want to bring that kind of attention on themselves. The girls are working because they want to make money and Dublin is somewhere that they can earn a lot of money," Detective Superintendent McKeown continued.

“I was very surprised when we started this investigation to find that a lot of the old myths regarding prostitution have gone out the window. To put it simply, there is room for everyone and plenty of work.

“The pimps know one another and work side by side. They don't want trouble and there are rarely disputes."

The report said that Polish, Slovenian and Lithuanian girls make up the vast majority of foreign prostitutes working in Dublin. They work in six to twelve months stints, then return to their homelands with money to invest or save.

McKeown’s investigations have also looked into a number of gentlemen’s clubs but say they have found no breaches of the law within that industry and no exploitation.

“We do not go after the girls…we wouldn't even consider doing that. It is the organizers that we are interested in. But the fact is that prostitution is here to stay and perhaps it is time that our legislators started to consider making it legal and getting a proper handle on it.”