Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020

What is this act about?

This law updates existing harassment laws and creates new offenses related to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and the distribution of threatening or grossly offensive communications. It aims to protect individuals from harm caused by such actions, including psychological harm.

Who it applies to: Individuals who record, distribute, publish, or send intimate images or threatening/grossly offensive communications; Victims of such actions, whose anonymity is protected.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Other legislation
Articles: 13
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

The non-consensual distribution, publication, or threat to distribute or publish intimate images with intent to cause harm or recklessness as to whether harm is caused.
The non-consensual recording, distribution, or publication of intimate images that seriously interferes with a person's peace and privacy or causes alarm, distress, or harm.
The distribution, publication, or sending of threatening or grossly offensive communications with intent to cause harm.
The anonymity of victims of offenses involving intimate images.

Who does this act apply to?

Individuals who record, distribute, publish, or send intimate images or threatening/grossly offensive communications.
Victims of such actions, whose anonymity is protected.
Directors and officers of corporate bodies if an offense is committed by the body corporate with their consent, connivance, or willful neglect.

What are the key points?

Distributing, publishing, or threatening to distribute or publish an intimate image without consent, with intent to cause harm or being reckless as to whether harm is caused, is an offense.
Recording, distributing, or publishing an intimate image without consent that seriously interferes with peace and privacy or causes alarm, distress, or harm is an offense.
Distributing, publishing, or sending a threatening or grossly offensive communication with intent to cause harm is an offense.
Victims of intimate image offenses (under sections 2 or 3) have anonymity, meaning information likely to identify them cannot be published or broadcast without a court direction.

Other legislation

Appropriation Act 2014

Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996

British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999

Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993

Radiological Protection (Amendment) Act 2018

Censorship of Films (Amendment) Act, 1925

Curragh of Kildare Act, 1961

Performers' Protection Act, 1968

Other legislation

Legal text

Contents (13)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Section 11
Section 12
Section 13

Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 2020 Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Open PDFOscail PDF Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 32 of 2020 HARASSMENT, HARMFUL COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATED OFFENCES ACT 2020 CONTENTS Section

Section 1

1.Interpretation

Section 2

2.Distributing, publishing or threatening to distribute or publish intimate image without consent with intent to cause harm or being reckless as to whether harm is caused

Section 3

3.Recording, distributing or publishing intimate image without consent

Section 4

4.Distributing, publishing or sending threatening or grossly offensive communication

Section 5

5.Anonymity of victim of offence under section 2 or 3

Section 6

6.Liability of directors and officers of corporate bodies

Section 7

7.Summary proceedings: time limit of two years

Section 8

8.Consent of Director of Public Prosecutions

Section 9

9.Amendment of Schedule to Bail Act 1997

Section 10

10.Amendment of section 10 of Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997

Section 11

11.Amendment of section 40 of Domestic Violence Act 2018

Section 12

12.Review of operation of Act

Section 13

13.Short title and commencement Acts Referred to Bail Act 1997 (No. 16) Broadcasting Act 2009 (No. 18) Children Act 2001 (No. 24) Domestic Violence Act 2018 (No. 6) Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 (No. 26) Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851 (14 & 15 Vict.) c. 93 Number 32 of 2020 HARASSMENT, HARMFUL COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATED OFFENCES ACT 2020 An Act to amend the law relating to harassment; to provide for offences relating to the recording, distribution or publication of intimate images and to provide for the anonymity of victims of those offences; to provide for an offence involving the distribution, publication or sending of threatening or grossly offensive communication; and for those and other purposes to amend the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 , the Bail Act 1997 and the Domestic Violence Act 2018 ; and to provide for related matters. [28th December, 2020] Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows:

Interpretation 1. In this Act— “broadcast” has the meaning assigned to it by the Broadcasting Act 2009 ; “distribute” means distribute to the public or a section of the public; “intimate image”, in relation to a person, means any visual representation (including any accompanying sound or document) made by any means including any photographic, film, video or digital representation— (a) of what is, or purports to be the person’s genitals, buttocks or anal region and, in the case of a female, her breasts, (b) of the underwear covering the person’s genitals, buttocks or anal region and, in the case of a female, her breasts, (c) in which the person is nude, or (d) in which the person is engaged in sexual activity; “harm” includes psychological harm; “publish” means publish, other than by way of broadcast, to the public or to a portion of the public.

Distributing, publishing or threatening to distribute or publish intimate image without consent with intent to cause harm or being reckless as to whether harm is caused 2. (1) A person who distributes, publishes or threatens to distribute or publish an intimate image of another person— (a) without that other person’s consent, and (b) with intent to cause harm to, or being reckless as to whether or not harm is caused to, the other person, is guilty of an offence.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), a person causes harm to another person where— (a) he or she, by his or her acts, intentionally or recklessly seriously interferes with the other person’s peace and privacy or causes alarm or distress to the other person, and (b) his or her acts are such that a reasonable person would realise that the acts would seriously interfere with the other person’s peace and privacy or cause alarm or distress to the other person.

(3)A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable— (a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both, or (b) on conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, or both.

Recording, distributing or publishing intimate image without consent 3. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person is guilty of an offence where— (a) he or she records, distributes or publishes an intimate image of another person without that other person’s consent, and (b) that recording, distribution or publication, as the case may be, seriously interferes with that other person’s peace and privacy or causes alarm, distress or harm to that other person.

(2)Subsection (1) shall not apply to a person who distributes or publishes an intimate image for the purpose of the prevention, investigation or prosecution of an offence under this section.

(3)A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.

Distributing, publishing or sending threatening or grossly offensive communication 4. (1) A person who— (a) by any means— (i) distributes or publishes any threatening or grossly offensive communication about another person, or (ii) sends any threatening or grossly offensive communication to another person, and (b) with intent by so distributing, publishing or sending to cause harm, is guilty of an offence.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), a person intends to cause harm where he or she, by his or her acts, intentionally seriously interferes with the other person’s peace and privacy or causes alarm or distress to the other person.

(3)A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable— (a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both, or (b) on conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.

Anonymity of victim of offence under section 2 or 3 5. (1) Where a person is charged with an offence under section 2 or 3 , any person who publishes or broadcasts— (a) any information, (b) a photograph of, or a photograph that includes a depiction of, the alleged victim of the offence, or (c) any other representation of the physical likeness, or any representation that includes a depiction of the physical likeness, of the alleged victim of the offence, that is likely to enable the identification of the alleged victim of the offence, is, subject to any direction under subsection (2), guilty of an offence.

(2)Where a judge of the court in which proceedings for an offence under section 2 or 3, as the case may be, are brought considers that the interests of justice so require, he or she may, having taken into account the views of the alleged victim of the offence, direct that such information, photograph or representation referred to in subsection (1) as he or she specifies may be published or broadcast in such manner and subject to such conditions (if any) as he or she specifies in the direction.

(3)A direction given under subsection (2) shall be in writing.

(4)A person who contravenes a direction given under subsection (2) , including a condition in such a direction, is guilty of an offence.

(5)A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (4) is liable— (a) on summary conviction to a class B fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both, or (b) on conviction on indictment to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.

(6)It shall be a defence for a person who is charged with an offence under subsection (1) or (4) to prove that at the time of the alleged offence the person was not aware, and neither suspected nor had reason to suspect— (a) in the case of an offence under subsection (1), that the information, photograph or other representation published or broadcast was information, a photograph or other representation referred to in that subsection, or (b) in the case of an offence under subsection (4), that the information, photograph or other representation was published or broadcast in contravention of a direction given under subsection (2), including a condition in such a direction.

Liability of directors and officers of corporate bodies 6. (1) Where an offence under this Act is committed by a body corporate and the offence is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any wilful neglect of, a person who, when the offence was committed, was a director, manager, secretary or other officer of the body corporate or of a person purporting to act in such a capacity, that person, as well as the body corporate, is guilty of an offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished as if guilty of the first-mentioned offence.

(2)Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (1) applies in relation to the acts or defaults of a member in connection with his or her functions of management as if he or she were a director or manager of the body corporate.

Summary proceedings: time limit of two years 7. Notwithstanding section 10

(4)of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851 , summary proceedings for an offence under this Act may be instituted at any time within two years from the date on which the offence was committed.

Consent of Director of Public Prosecutions 8. Notwithstanding section 52

(4)of the Children Act 2001 , where a child under 17 years of age is charged with an offence under this Act, no further proceedings in the matter (other than any remand in custody or on bail) shall be taken except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Amendment of Schedule to Bail Act 1997 9. The Schedule to the Bail Act 1997 is amended by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph 41: “Offence under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 42. An offence under section 2 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.”.

Amendment of section 10 of Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 10.

Section 10

of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 is amended by— (a) in subsection (1), the substitution of “communicating with or about him or her” for “communicating with him or her”, (b) in subsection (3), the substitution of “communicate by any means with or about the other person” for “communicate by any means with the other person”, and (c) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (6): “(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable— (a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both, or (b) on conviction on indictment to a fine or a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years, or both.”.

Amendment of section 40 of Domestic Violence Act 2018 11.

Section 40

(5)of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 is amended by— (a) the insertion, in the definition of “relevant offence”, of the following paragraph after paragraph (a) : “(aa) an offence under section 2 or 3 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020,”, and (b) in paragraph (g), the substitution of “in paragraph (a), (aa), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f)” for “paragraphs (a) to (f)”.

Review of operation of Act 12. The Minister shall, not later than three years after the commencement of this Act, carry out a review of the operation of this Act.

Short title and commencement 13. (1) This Act may be cited as the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.

(2)This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Justice may by order or orders appoint either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

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