A Seanad debate was on 10 June 2014 on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences Ammendment) Bill 2014. Senator Katherine Zappone published the 2014 Bill to change sexual offences in the Criminal Law so that people with intellectual disabilities will have the same rights to relationships as everyone else.

The Bill proposes changes to the current law so that people do not have to be living independently in order to have sex and do not have to be married. It also provides clarification on abuse of relationship or trust and makes it illegal to sexually abuse both people with and without disabilities and indicates that both people must consent to sex.

The debate on the bill was widely covered in the media.

Senator Zappone published a summary in easy to read language which is attached with these minutes. The Bill received cross-party support and the amendment is currently with the Attorney General and the office of Public Prosecution to check the legality of the measures proposed.