I take this opportunity to update Senators on the current position in relation to the shocking events of last weekend when eight unfortunate people were found dead in a container in County Wexford. The deep sadness of the event came home to us earlier this week when it became clear that among the deceased two families had been devastated, with four out of the eight deceased being children, aged four, nine, ten and 16 years. Our deepest sympathy goes to the relatives and friends of the deceased. Our thoughts and best wishes go to the five survivors who are recovering in Wexford General Hospital from this unspeakable ordeal.
All eight deceased have now been identified as Turkish nationals. The five survivors are believed to include three Turkish, one Albanian and one Algerian national. One of the Turkish nationals is a 15 year old boy. A number of relatives of the persons concerned have travelled to Ireland and are being assisted by the authorities at what is a very difficult time for them. It is a priority at this time to ensure the complete recovery of the five survivors and that their needs are catered for. It is important to pay tribute to all in Wexford associated with their care.
The question of asylum or humanitarian leave has been raised. The Minister has already said that when the people concerned are in a position to consider their future, it will be open to them to make such an application. He has made it clear they will receive sympathetic consideration.
The detailed movements of the container were outlined earlier this week. It left Italy loaded with furniture on Friday, 30 November and travelled via Cologne, Germany to Zeebrugge, Belgium, arriving on Tuesday, 4 December. It was loaded onto a ship which departed from Zeebrugge at 6 p.m. that evening. The ship arrived in Bellview Port, Waterford on the evening of Thursday, 6 December. On Friday, 7 December the container was loaded onto a truck and stored overnight at the port. On Saturday, 8 December the truck was driven to Drinagh Business Park, Wexford where the discovery was made shortly after its arrival at 9.10 a.m.
All the indications from the investigation so far are that the people concerned were not attempting to travel to Ireland, but to the United Kingdom, a shorter journey from the port of Zeebrugge. The Garda, including the Garda National Immigration Bureau, is undertaking a major investigation into the matter, involving contacts with the UK, French, Belgian and German authorities. Europol and Interpol have also been involved in the investigation. A lot of progress has been made in recent days. I express gratitude for and acknowledge the full and timely co-operation of all these authorities. A number of persons have been interviewed regarding various stages of the container's journey to Ireland. Particular progress has been made in Belgium with regard to a premises which seems likely to have been used as a staging post as part of the trafficking operation. Charges have already been brought against an individual in Belgium.
This tragedy represents the first such incident in Ireland. Sadly, such occurrences are becoming a familiar feature internationally. On Tuesday a similar tragedy occurred in Italy. We also recall with horror the Dover tragedy of last year when 58 people lost their lives in similar circumstances. This tragedy shows the callous disregard for human life of traffickers and smugglers of human beings. They have no interest in their victims, only in the money they can extort from them. International law and criminal justice systems must target criminals who exploit and abuse the human rights of migrants through human trafficking and smuggling. Any perceived lack of coherence in the approach adopted by border control agencies throughout the European Union serves to encourage rather than deter such activities. In the light of the Dover tragedy last year governments across Europe reaffirmed their commitment to take action to counter those smuggling and trafficking. The Wexford tragedy underlines the need for concerted action across Europe and for continued effective co-operation throughout Europe to combat those who seek to profit from the trade in human beings.
People smuggling and trafficking is an international problem and one country cannot operate alone to successfully combat it. It is clear that these challenges require the building of partnerships at all levels between European states at a policy and operational level. It poses challenges for the European Union, governments and policy makers generally in terms of the vision of Europe that we seek to support through immigration policy.
The United Nations has recognised the involvement of organised criminals in trafficking and smuggling of persons in the Palermo Conven tion Against Transnational Organised Crime, signed at the end of last year. It contained two protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking. The focus is on criminalising the smugglers and traffickers. The protocols also take proper account of the need to treat migrants humanely and safeguard their human rights, particularly where persons have been the victims of trafficking for exploitation.
Our immigration system must achieve the correct balance in ensuring, on the one hand, the integrity and security of the State and its residents are protected and, on the other, that the rights and interests of immigrants are upheld. In addition, Ireland must afford protection to refugees and fair consideration and care for those claiming protection from persecution while those claims are being determined. The Government's policy regarding asylum and immigration matters is that it is committed to providing protection for refugees and the application of fair procedures in accordance with law to all immigrants, both legal and illegal. We have a fair and balanced asylum system as well as strong legal channels for legal migration in the work permit and working visa scheme. More than 3,000 have availed of these schemes so far this year. By the end of the year it is anticipated that approximately 10,000 persons will have entered the State this year to make asylum applications here.
It is well recognised that our immigration system, like those of our EU partners, is being abused by traffickers and people smugglers. This has implications for the integrity and effectiveness of the asylum system as it operates in Ireland for those genuinely in fear of persecution. However, as a member of the family of civilised nations, we must continue to respect the dignity and human rights of all persons who claim asylum here, irrespective of what the eventual outcome of their claim may be.
It is clear that a policy of control of the external borders alone will not work. There is a need to work with the countries of origin of migrants to try to tackle the root causes of illegal migration. In many cases it is the result of poverty and lack of opportunity in the countries concerned, rather than persecution. There is a need to help those countries to address the issues which give rise to this. There is an onus on the international community to encourage the economic development of countries which are the source of migration and assist them in providing for the needs of their people. The European Union's approach of encouraging partnership with countries of origin as part of its wider migration and asylum policy must be encouraged. Ireland's development aid programme also has a role to play.
Action has been taken to deal with people traffickers and smugglers in Ireland. The Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act, 2000, came into effect on 5 September 2000. The purpose of the Act is to target the profiteer or professional smuggler in human beings by creating an offence of trafficking in illegal immigrants and providing a framework by which those engaging in such smuggling can be dealt with under the law. Under the Act any person who for profit intentionally assists illegal immigrants to enter the State may be punishable by unlimited fines or up to ten years imprisonment or both. The Act covers offences committed outside the State as well as those committed in Ireland.
The Garda National Immigration Bureau established last year has had a focus on countering trafficking and smuggling activity and developed strong operational international liaison which has been evidenced by the progress in this investigation. The first successful prosecution was taken earlier this year and a number of other investigations are pending with as many as 20 cases currently with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The bureau is also deploying at ports around the country equipment to detect the presence of people concealed in vehicles. In addition, earlier this year the Irish Road Haulage Association agreed a voluntary code of practice with the aim of encouraging greater vigilance to ensure covert passengers were not present in vehicles arriving in Ireland.
The lesson we must learn from the tragedy is that we cannot lessen our vigilance in the fight against criminals who exploit vulnerable people. As a member of the European Union, Ireland must and will play a full part in and encourage concerted action at EU level to counter trafficking and smuggling activity internationally. It is also important to acknowledge that large-scale population movements throughout the world have in recent years, and to an extent unknown in the past, become a fact of life. It raises issues of a fundamental nature, not just for this country or for the European Union, but for the world as a whole. These issues need to be addressed seriously and urgently at international level.
We must not pretend there are simple solutions. This is a subject where there are genuine complexities. Arguments that these problems arise because there are not any lawful means of entering the State, that applicants for refugee status do not have their cases heard, that the issue can be dealt with by setting quotas, that trafficking is a side issue and that immigrants do not abuse the system to the detriment of others are just as futile and wrong headed in terms of genuinely finding solutions as is the pretence that legal solutions and law enforcement measures alone will suffice. We need to work seriously and honestly together, not only here, but across the world, to address the underlying causes and attempt to evolve at international level a means of addressing the fact that the large-scale movement of people is now part of reality for all of us.