A new bill on child grooming will be launched this morning. It proposes tougher penalties for those who target vulnerable children for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

As it stands, child grooming is broadly covered under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act.

But in June of last year, the Oireachtas Committee on Justice recommended the introduction of a stand alone offence.

Members agreed that stricter penalties should also be introduced for those caught grooming a child or vulnerable person for their own sexual needs or those of others.

A new bill on child grooming in Ireland will be launched today with a number of frontline agencies and charities already behind it.

They say it is urgently needed to prevent an 'Irish Rotherham' - a reference to a damning report into the grooming, exploitation and rape of at least 1,400 young girls in England.