Independent TD John Halligan says prostitution should be legalised.

The Waterford TD says Garda funding and resources would be better spent on preventing human trafficking.

It follows comments by the Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald saying she will not decriminalise brothel-keeping as part of new prostitution laws.

Deputy Halligan says regulating prostitution would help to prevent the exploitation of sex workers.

“You’re not going to stop prostitution, you’re never going to stop it. Why could it not be regulated?

“The Government and the Gardaí should consider doing that,” he said.

“We should be trying to find a solution that would take prostitution out of the hands of the pimps, and also, if we have money available, rather than taking up the Gardaí’s time trying to find the people who avail of prostitution we should be trying to deal with the pimps and deal with the women that are being exploited and forced into prostitution.”