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Irish law

Age of Consent in Ireland: 17, and What Consent Means

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It is 17 in Ireland, and 18 to use this site. Here is what the statutes say, in plain words.

By the Local Sex Meets team · Checked 3 November 2026

The short answer

The age of consent in Ireland is 17. Under section 3 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006, rewritten in 2017, a sexual act with a child under 17 is an offence, and the child’s agreement is no defence. Consent also has to be freely and voluntarily given. Adults on Local Sex Meets must be 18 or over.

Is the age of consent 17 in Ireland?

Yes: 17, a year above England, Wales and Scotland. General information, checked on 3 November 2026, so for your own situation ask a solicitor.

Northern Ireland? It is part of the UK, and its age of consent is 16. See age of consent in the UK.

The statutes

What does the law actually say?

Under 17, the child’s yes is not a defence.

‘A person who engages in a sexual act with a child who is under the age of 17 years shall be guilty of an offence.’

That is section 3 of the 2006 Act, replaced by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 from 27 March 2017. Consent is no defence where the child is under 17.

The 2017 Act also replaced section 2, which covers a child under 15, and inserted section 3A, which covers a person in authority and a child aged 17 but under 18. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 amended these from 31 August 2024.

The 2006 Act also has a narrow exemption for some cases where people are close in age. If you think it could apply, ask a solicitor.

Section 9 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, as substituted by the 2017 Act, puts it in one line:

‘A person consents to a sexual act if he or she freely and voluntarily agrees to engage in that act.’

The Law Reform Commission’s revised text then lists situations where a person does not consent, including when they:

  • permit or submit because force is applied
  • are asleep or unconscious
  • are incapable of consenting because of alcohol or another drug
  • are mistaken about who the other person is
  • are mistaken about the nature and purpose of the act
  • are being unlawfully detained

For how this plays out on a date, read consent and casual sex.

Can you change your mind?

Section 9(4): ‘Consent to a sexual act may be withdrawn at any time before the act begins, or in the case of a continuing act, while the act is taking place.’

  • A yes in the chat

    Agreeing earlier, in messages or over a drink, binds nobody. Consent can be withdrawn before the act begins.

  • A stop part-way

    For a continuing act, consent can be withdrawn while it is happening. When someone says stop, you stop.

What if something feels wrong?

Members must be at least 18 under the site’s terms, and the site estimates ages automatically, adding further checks wherever the law demands them. If you doubt someone’s age, stop, block and report the profile; support answers by chat and messaging around the clock. If a child may be in danger, tell the Gardaí, Ireland’s police, and call 112 or 999 in an emergency.

If something happened that you did not agree to, Rape Crisis Ireland runs a confidential 24-hour helpline on freephone 1800 77 88 88. If you may have been exposed to HIV, STI testing in Ireland covers PEP. The safety page lists the site’s own tools.

Questions about Irish consent law

At what age can you legally have sex in Ireland?

The age of consent is 17. Section 3 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006, as rewritten by the 2017 Act, makes a sexual act with a child under 17 an offence, and the child’s agreement is not a defence. Section 3A covers a person in authority and a child aged 17 but under 18.

Is the age of consent the same in Northern Ireland?

No. Northern Ireland is part of the UK, and its Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 sets the line at 16 in article 16. The Republic of Ireland sets it at 17 under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006.

What does consent mean under Irish law?

The Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, as amended in 2017, says a person consents if they freely and voluntarily agree to engage in the act. It lists situations where someone does not consent, such as being asleep or unconscious, or incapable of consenting because of alcohol or another drug.

Can consent be withdrawn during sex in Ireland?

Yes. Section 9(4) of the 1990 Act, as amended, says consent may be withdrawn at any time before the act begins or, for a continuing act, while it is taking place. If someone says stop, you stop.

Sources and dates

  • Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006, sections 2, 3 and 3A, as amended in 2017 and 2024: Law Reform Commission revised Act, updated to 31 August 2024.
  • Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, section 9, substituted by section 48 of the 2017 Act: Law Reform Commission revised Act, updated to 15 February 2022.
  • Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, article 16. Rape Crisis Ireland, read 3 November 2026.

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