Reaction:Opposition parties and groups working with victims of sexual assaults have condemned the Government for inaction following the decision of the High Court to release a man (41) who had been convicted of having sex with a 12-year-old girl.
Fiona Neary of the Rape Crisis Network said the Government became aware of problems with statutory rape legislation 16 years ago, when the Law Reform Commission recommended it be reformed.
"The Department of Justice is known fully as the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform," Ms Neary said after today's ruling. "They've known for 16 years that law reform was required and it wasn't delivered."
Labour Party spokesperson on Justice, Brendan Howlin, said that the decision "makes it even more difficult to understand the absolute lack of urgency displayed by the Government and the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgement".
"While nothing can be done to now prevent the release of others convicted under the 1935 Act, it is now absolutely essential that the Government should introduce legislation this week to deal with the flaw identified by the Supreme Court decision and thus provide proper protection for children from sexual predators."
Mr Howlin said that all that was required to close the loophole was a simple single section Bill. He said the Labour Party will submit such a bill to the Bills Office in the Dáil this evening.
Green Party justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe called for the immediate introduction of legislation regarding statutory rape.
"The Dáil must move to extradite the legislation and, if necessary, sit next week during the recess to make sure this urgently required legislation is passed without any further delay," said Mr Cuffe.