Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 3

Written Answers. - Human Trafficking.

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

527 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason no representative of his Department, or of the Garda national immigration bureau, met the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs. Amina Abubakar, to discuss the issue of human trafficking when she held a conference here in November 2003. [31121/03]

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

528 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason no representative of the Government attended the conference organised by Overseas Consultancy here in November 2003 on human trafficking attended by the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs. Amina Abubakar. [31122/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together.

The issue of trafficking in human beings is taken very seriously by my Department and the Garda national immigration bureau. In that regard both my officials and members of the Garda Síochána participate regularly in a wide range of activities – both internationally and domestically – with a view to ensuring that Ireland's response to the problem is well informed and effective. However, given the sheer scale of involvement of relevant personnel in immigration related activity and having particular regard to Ireland's imminent Presidency of the European Union, officials are not in a position to attend every initiative of this nature.

I understand that a private meeting had been arranged between the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Mrs. Abubakar but due to delays in travel arrangements it did not take place.

Mrs. Amina Abubakar is not the Vice President of Nigeria but the wife of the Vice President. Some of the literature supplied inadvertently characterised her in the former role.