As the Deputy may be aware, the next Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) election is due to take place on 25 November 2022 with the deadline for submission of GRETA candidates on 25 September 2022.
States party to the Convention are entitled to nominate candidates for GRETA membership. The states are required to ensure that their national selection procedure leading to the nomination of candidates for GRETA is either in accordance with published national guidelines or is otherwise transparent and designed to lead to the nomination of the most qualified candidates. The term of office of a member of GRETA shall be four years, renewable once.
I can confirm that the process for selection we have employed complies with the guidelines and that we have a transparent process in place.
Candidates must be experts who will be independent and impartial in their evaluation of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the parties. In addition it aims to ensure a multidisciplinary expertise, a gender and geographical balance as well as representation of the main legal systems.
The rules stipulate that the GRETA members must have recognised competence in the fields of human rights, of assistance and protection of victims or of action against trafficking in human beings or professional experience in the areas covered by the Convention. They must serve in their individual capacity, be independent and impartial, and be available to serve GRETA effectively.
It is essential that the selection process is open and transparent, with my Department advertising widely and in good time and employing an expert Selection Panel with no members who may be perceived as holding any conflicts of interest.
My Department published a public call for expressions of interest in the three main national newspapers (Irish Times, Irish Independent and Irish Examiner) on 22 July in conjunction with bilateral contact with experts in the sector of human trafficking and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and in the NGO and academic spheres. The deadline for receipt of applications was 31 August. A number of applications have been received.
The Department will now establish and chair a selection panel to advise on nominations, with members drawn from relevant Departments/agencies with expertise in the area of human trafficking and from the academic and/or NGO sector.
