The fact that Irishmen are among the most important "clients" driving the sex-tourism industry in the Philippines is shocking. The undertones of paedophilia make it even worse.

Though not all the young women who are involved are under age, there is no doubt that many of the people being sold for sex by bar-brothels and pimps are teenagers . Other "older" sex workers . . . just 17 or 18 years of age . . . look like very young pre-pubescent girls, so the paedophilic predilections of these Irishmen and other European, Australian and American sex tourists is clear.

The Philippines senate has now launched an investigation into foreign involvement in the underage sex trade. Irishmen are firmly in its sights.

Under a recently amended law, the Sex Offences Jurisdiction Act, men who abuse children abroad can be brought back here and put on trial.

But more liaison officers are needed from here who can work with those trying to stamp out sex tourism in the Philippines so that evidence can be gathered and prosecutions brought in this country against Irish men "holidaying" in Manila brothels where underage girls are used as prostitutes.

Last week, the government gave a creditable commitment to increasing overseas aid for developing countries to 0.7% of GNP by 2012. With aid budgets expanding, a fresh focus should also be on Irish workers such as Fr Shay Cullen and others who help the girls escape from what often amounts to slavery, as well as campaigning against both the corruption and collusion of some police and government officials in this lucrative industry.

It is, after all, Irish men who are at the forefront of this at best distasteful, at worst criminal, trade.