Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:142 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken at EU level to confront the illegal trading in human beings and slavery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27052/03]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Issues.
The Government is fully committed to the active promotion of full observance of universal human rights standards, and opposes and seeks the elimination of all contemporary forms of slavery. These include practices such as bonded labour, the sale of children, child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking in persons. The Government is also opposed to all acts and practices which degrade or exploit human beings.
Through its participation at international fora such as the UN General Assembly, the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, Ireland raises its concerns in tandem with like-minded countries regarding these issues.
The importance of addressing trafficking in persons has been recognised by Ireland and our EU partners. Article 5 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights provides that no one should be held in slavery or be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. It also prohibits trafficking in human beings. A number of legislative proposals have been initiated at EU level to combat trafficking. The Council directive defines the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and residence and the Council framework strengthens the penal framework to prevent facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and residence. The Council established the Stop II Programme which, from 2001 to 2002, financed programmes to combat and prevent trafficking and also to assist the victims of trafficking. In 2002, the Council adopted a programme called AGIS which replaces Stop II and 5 other programmes and will run from 2003 to 2007.
In addition Ireland, along with all other EU member states and the EU Commission, has signed the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime and its two accompanying protocols on prevention, suppression and punishment of trafficking in persons, especially women and children and smuggling of migrants by land, air or sea. The protocol on trafficking not only provides for measures to suppress trafficking, but also measures to protect the victims of trafficking.
Ireland in co-operation with its EU partners has also been active in other regional fora. In this regard, the mechanism for implementing the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's, OSCE, action plan to combat trafficking is currently under consideration. In the Council of Europe, work began in September on a Convention on Trafficking in Human Beings aimed at setting up a joint observatory on trafficking.