On 15th July this year, the EU Commission issued a Letter of Formal Notice of infringement proceedings citing Ireland’s failure to properly transpose three articles of European Directive 2011/93 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. A response issued to the Letter of Formal Notice on 15th September, setting out in detail the manner in which the requirements of the Directive, raised in the Letter of Formal Notice, are already met in Irish law and outlining developments under way that will further strengthen the existing provisions.
Officials in my Department are in regular communication with the relevant officials in the Commission in respect of this and are liaising closely with them to provide updates on legislative developments.