Property website to introduce measures to prevent sex-for-rent advertisements
Property website Daft.ie is introducing measures to prevent sex-for-rent advertisements appearing on its platform as a third attempt to legislate against the practice goes through the Seanad.
Earlier this month, Labour senator Laura Harmon introduced the Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025 in the Seanad and the legislation proceeded to third stage without opposition from the Government.
The bill proposes a fine of up to €50,000 for advertising sex-for-rent offers, with the legislation covering any follow-up texts, direct messages, emails or other correspondence after the initial advert.
Following a debate on the bill earlier this month, Daft.ie has now said it is looking at ways it can identify advertisements which could be offering sex-for-rent arrangements.
In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the platform said it has updated its house rules to now include that: "Any advertisement submitted to Daft.ie that, in our sole discretion, appears to solicit or offer sexual services in exchange for rent will be removed without notice.
"The individual responsible for such content will be permanently prohibited from posting further advertisements on the platform."
It says it has also built a functionality into its website which will raise flags about content which requires manual review before it goes live, 'or entirely restricts advertisers from using certain prohibited words or phrases in their advertisements'.
Daft.ie is looking at ways it can identify advertisements which could be offering sex-for-rent arrangements.
'For example, our system will block or flag advertisers who try to enter terms such as "HAP" of "professional couple" etc. as such phrases can potentially be used in a discriminatory way against applicants," the website said.
"Following the Seanad debate transcript, we noted that certain phrases commonly associated in ads where the landlord is seeking sex for rent (e.g. "must be open-minded", "must be up for having fun in the house", "can negotiate").
"We have now added these to our list of prohibited phrases in advertisements. Any ads containing such terms will now be flagged for manual review before they go live.'
The statement said the website is open to working with Ms Harmon to gather a more comprehensive list of such phrases "and will continue to update our prohibited list accordingly".
"While we recognise that much of this activity does not occur on Daft.ie, and is more likely found in private messaging via social media we are committed to doing everything we can to protect tenants on Daft.ie as they search for accommodation (sic).'
The criminalising of people who make sex-for-rent offers has been included in the programme for government, more than three years since the Government pledged to tackle the issue as a priority in the wake of an Irish Examiner investigation.
Online advertisements regularly appear on a number of websites offering reduced or no rent in return for sex.
Separately, people responding to accommodation advertisements on social media receive similar offers in private messages from the homeowners.
Previous attempts to legislate against the practice include the Ban on Sex for Rent Bill introduced by the Social Democrats two years ago, and the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Sex for Rent) Bill 2023, introduced in the Dáil by Sinn Féin last year.
The Social Democrats legislation failed to pass pre-legislative scrutiny while there has been no movement on the Sinn Féin bill.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
41 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Waterford Airport officials back document calling for pilot training increase
The 60-page booklet, called A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation, is by Irelandia, an Irish aviation investment group. The authors engaged with a wide variety of industry leaders, in Ireland and internationally, and suggest how Ireland can build on its reputation as an aviation hub in global booming sector. 'In particular we believe the policy recommendation for an ISIF-backed loan fund to quadruple pilot training in Ireland would boost activity at Waterford, where flight training is already well established,' said an airport spokesperson. 'Waterford Airport will help scale up pilot training if Government helps expand the flight training schools. 'Such development would facilitate the further development of Waterford Airport, as would an expansion in marketing support for regional airports which is also recommended in A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation. 'This report together with the recent announcement that Waterford Airport in partnership with SETU will be the base for the National Aerospace Academy further solidifies the need for expansion to Waterford Airport,' added the spokesperson. In its foreword, Dr Dec Ryan said they 'strongly believe commercial aviation contributes positively to economic, social and income progress across the world, helping both developed and developing economies to create employment and opportunity. We also know that Ireland has a special relationship with commercial aviation that stretches back over one hundred years. 'Today, Ireland is a proven leader in all critical parts of the aviation sector, being home to the world's most significant aircraft leasing companies, Europe's largest airline and a major eco-system of aviation related businesses in airports, maintenance facilities, manufacturing, air traffic control, pilot training, regulation and professional services that collectively employ over 50,000 people. 'It is in this context that Irelandia commissioned an analysis to identify a set of policy initiatives which will strengthen the Irish aviation industry. The urgency of this work is underscored by the risks to jobs and incomes associated with fast moving geo-political threats.' Airports have 'profound positive effects on their local economies', according to the authors. 'Alongside direct employment they require a wide number of services that help manage the flow of passengers and operation of retail outlets. 'Research shows that for every one million passengers, airports can create 2,000 to 4,000 jobs in various roles, from pilots and air traffic controllers to crews, security personnel, office staff, maintenance teams and retail workers.' Ireland is the global leader in aircraft leasing, a high value sub-set of the international financial services sector, say the authors. It is estimated over 50pc of all commercial aircraft worldwide are leased. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Over 50 leasing companies operate in Ireland, managing a combined fleet of 10,000 airplanes, over 7,000 owned and around 3,000 managed, with orders for a further 2,600. Eleven of these leasing companies are headquartered in Ireland. 'The sector leases aircraft to airlines across the world and these companies are positioning to benefit from the forecast 80pc increase in commercial aircraft numbers over the next 20 years.' Pilot training in Ireland takes place in two schools, the Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) based in Cork and Waterford airports, and the National Flight Centre (NFC) located in Weston airport. These schools produce about 100 qualified commercial pilots annually and between them operate a fleet of over 35 single and multi-engine aircraft in addition to a number of simulators. To quadruple the output of commercial pilots in Ireland, the authors recommend creating a €40m pilot training loan fund from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) to provide low cost debt finance to train commercial pilots at Irish flight schools, quadrupling the annual flow of cockpit crews for European airlines and positioning Ireland as a centre of excellence for pilot training with a focus on smaller underutilised airports including Waterford, Sligo, Derry and Weston. Other recommendations include a focus on training activities at underutilised airports, including Waterford, Weston and Sligo, and that the Government work with communities using €14,000 per year tax break to accommodate students. The authorities should co-ordinate pilot output with demand from airlines in Ireland and abroad, adds the report.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on Ireland's budget policy: betting on a tax boom
The latest report from the Irish Fiscal Advisory council (Ifac) neatly sums up the difficulty of forecasting what happens next in the Irish economy. Facing significant uncertainties, most notably from the policies of US president Donald Trump, the economy could take a hit, or could hold on to most of the gains of recent years. One thing is for sure, however. Ireland is relying ever more heavily on corporation tax. And the report from the budget watchdog suggests how the Government should respond. These recommendations are, by now, familiar, but that does not mean they should be dismissed. The Government has, wisely, started to put cash aside in case of a downturn. And this should certainly help if any reversal was temporary. However, Ifac points to structural issues too – longer-term trends which need to be addressed. One, a common theme of these reports, is Ireland's reliance on just a few major US companies for a significant amount of corporate tax revenue. When the part of corporate tax revenues relating to tax planning is factored out, Ifac estimates that the underlying budget position is in deficit. There are also problems on the spending side of the budget, which have received little attention to date. Ifac criticises the Government for its budgeting for this year, saying that it failed to take into account overruns for 2024 which had increased the spending base. As a result, spending for this year could be €3 billion above budget, it estimates. READ MORE Significant overruns have become common, but have been offset by tax also coming in ahead of target. Relying on this continuing is unwise. To combat this, Ifac calls for better spending control and a clear target – or anchor – for the level of spending increases which is then adhered to. As the report points out, corporation tax could grow further, helping to underpin the public finances. But the risks, too, are obvious. Either way, the lack of control on day-to-day public spending is notable and does not suggest proper management, or a focus on value for money.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Council buy 20 homes in Ardee under Housing for All scheme
Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation, officially opened Louth County Council's new housing scheme at Quarry Court, John Street, Ardee on Friday, 6th June 2025. The scheme, consisting of 20 new A2-rated residential homes, was purchased by Louth County Council's Housing Delivery Section, utilising Social Housing Capital Investment Programme (SHCIP) funding as part of the Government's Housing for All plan. Located at the junction of John Street and Stoney Lane, and close to Ardee town centre, the development was built by Currabeg Construction and consists of 11 three-bed houses and nine one-bed and two-bed apartments. The homes are all A2-rated and highly energy efficient, which will significantly reduce energy costs for residents. Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation, said: 'I am delighted to officially launch these 20 housing units in Ardee. Housing is the Government's top priority, and this project is a clear, demonstrable example and symbol of precisely what can be achieved when public and private work together in partnership to deliver state-of-the-art homes for people and families in our communities. I commend the Department of Housing, Louth County Council and all those involved in the delivery of this development.' Cllr Kevin Callan, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, said: 'Louth County Council is leading the way nationally in terms of the quantity and quality of units that are being delivered across various schemes, including this fantastic turnkey development in the centre of Ardee. These apartments and houses will provide much-needed homes to the future residents. As Cathaoirleach, I have been very heartened by the dedication and hard work of our housing team in bringing projects like this to fruition, and I look forward to continuing significant housing delivery in the years ahead.' David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council, said: 'Under the Housing for All programme (2022–2026), Louth County Council is committed to delivering 1,323 social homes through a mix of direct-build projects, partnerships with Approved Housing Bodies, and Part V and turnkey acquisitions. We are also increasing the roll-out of Affordable Housing Schemes, and we are currently building a pipeline for future delivery. We are projecting delivery of more than 2,000 homes over the programme's duration, and at present, we have 440 homes under construction across eight sites. 'I wish to commend the developer, Seamus Rogers of Currabeg Construction, for delivering this high-quality housing scheme at a reasonable cost. These new A2-rated homes offer both comfort and energy efficiency, and we wish future residents every happiness in their new homes.' Funded by Local Democracy Scheme.
