Jim O'Callaghan
Question:
379. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arrested and charged with human trafficking offences in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21889/22]
View answer
The information sought was requested from An Garda Síochána but was not provided in the timeframe allowed. Once the relevant information is received I will contact the Deputy directly.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to your Parliamentary Question No. 379 of 4 May 2022 asking the number of persons arrested and charged with human trafficking offences in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form and if I would make a statement on the matter. You will recall that at the time I had reached out to An Garda Síochána to request information they may have and I undertook to forward any information when received.
Human trafficking is a particularly heinous crime, based on deception and exploitation of vulnerable people.
This Government is serious about preventing and prosecuting for human trafficking. We are confident that the victim-centred policy approach we are taking will encourage more victims to come forward which will, in turn, strengthen prosecutions and convictions.
There are two areas of progress in particular that I wish to highlight.
The first is the approval by Government to revise the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and to place it on a statutory footing.
The NRM provides a way for all agencies, both State and civil society, to co-operate, share information about potential victims, identify those victims and facilitate their access to advice, accommodation and support.
Currently, when suspected victims of human trafficking are encountered by, or referred to, An Garda Síochána they are provided with a wide range of services by both the Government and NGOs through the NRM. It is widely accepted that having the Gardaí as the sole competent authority for the formal recognition of people as victims of human trafficking is not the optimal system.
The new approach acknowledges other state bodies and NGOs have a role in identifying victims of human trafficking and referring them to the NRM.
We want to be sure that every victim of trafficking is identified and helped so we can support them. Doing this is of course the right approach but it will also help us gather more information and evidence in order to bring to justice the traffickers who prey on vulnerable people with no regard for the lives and safety of their victims.
I also want to note the development of a new National Action Plan on human trafficking. A consultant has produced a short and focused analysis of the current position in relation to human trafficking in Ireland. The analysis includes a research review, a synopsis of the extent of trafficking in Ireland and a summary of issues to address.
My Department is now engaged with a working group to draft the new National Action Plan high-level goals and outcomes.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that a search of the PULSE database was conducted on 5 May 2022 to identify:
1. Any charges created since 1 January 2021 whereby an offence contrary to either the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act, 2000 or the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, 2008 was referenced.
2. Any incident of PULSE category “Human Trafficking” which includes the following types:
- Labour Exploitation - Person Other Than A Child
- Sexual Exploitation - Person Other Than A Child
- Labour Exploitation Of A Child
- Sexual Exploitation Of A Child
- Soliciting or Importuning for Prostitution
- Other Offences
3. Any incident of PULSE category ‘Miscellaneous’ and of type ‘Human Trafficking Offences’
The count of unique incidents and charges for full year 2021 and year to date, 4 May 2022 is as follows:
|
Type
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
Incidents
|
51
|
11
|
|
Charges
|
27
|
0
|
Information provided is taken from PULSE as of 05/05/2022; it is operational and may be liable to change. Crime counting rules have been applied to the incident count.
