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Updated to 5 December 2025 (Act No. 12 of 2025 and S.I. No. 587 of 2025)

All effects below are reflected in the most recent Revised Act.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006*
No. 15 of 2006

Contents

Commencement

Section Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
 Commencement Information
Whole Act 2 June 2006 Commenced on enactment

Amendments and other effects

How Affected Affecting Provision Affecting Provision Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
 Commencement Source
S. 1 amended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 15 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 2 substituted Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 16 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 2 application extended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 42(1)-(4) 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 2(5) repealed with retrospective effect Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 (28/2024), ss. 1(2), 18(1)(a), 19 31 August 2024 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 391 of 2024), arts. 2
S. 3 substituted Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 17 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 3 application extended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 42(1)-(4) 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 2 re-trial procedure for offence under Criminal Procedure Act 2010 (No. 27 of 2010), ss. 1(2), 7-14 and Sch. 1 September 2010 Criminal Procedure Act 2010 (Commencement) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 414 of 2010), art. 2
S. 3(2)(a) amended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)(Amendment) Act 2007 (No. 6 of 2007), s. 5(1)(a) 7 March 2007 Commenced on enactment
S. 3(2)(b) amended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)(Amendment) Act 2007 (No. 6 of 2007), s. 5(1)(b) 7 March 2007 Commenced on enactment
S. 3(4)(a) amended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)(Amendment) Act 2007 (No. 6 of 2007), s. 5(1)(c) 7 March 2007 Commenced on enactment
S. 3(4)(b) amended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)(Amendment) Act 2007 (No. 6 of 2007), s. 5(1)(d) 7 March 2007 Commenced on enactment
S. 3(5)*
S. 3A inserted Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 18 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 3A application extended Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (2/2017), ss. 1(2), 42(1)-(4) 27 March 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 112 of 2017), art. 2
S. 3A offence for purposes of Criminal Justice Act 1994 (15/1994), s. 3 and sch. 1A part 1, as inserted by S.I. No. 540 of 2017, reg. 18
S. 3A(5) repealed with retrospective effect Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 (28/2024), ss. 1(2), 18(1)(b), 19 31 August 2024 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 391 of 2024), arts. 2
S. 6(1A) new subsection inserted Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)(Amendment) Act 2007 (No. 6 of 2007), s. 5(2) 7 March 2007 Commenced on enactment
S. 6(3) substituted Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 (28/2024), ss. 1(2), 16 31 August 2024 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 391 of 2024), arts. 2

SIs made under the Act

SectionSIs made under the Act
None

*On 28 August 2023, the Supreme Court found in C.W v The Minister for Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions that Section 3(5) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 was not compatible with Article 38.1 of the Constitution.