Republic of Ireland: Legislation decriminalising homosexuality

Index Number: EUR 29/005/1993
Date Published: 22 June 1993
Categories: Europe And Central Asia, Ireland

The Government of the Republic of Ireland has just published the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 1993, which will repeal the existing law forbidding homosexual acts and introduce provisions prohibiting such acts with persons under 17 years. Current legislation is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights because it allows for the prosecution of consenting adults engaging in homosexual acts in private.