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Ireland’s ‘significant efforts’ on trafficking noted

An annual report from the US State Department on human trafficking has said that Ireland does not yet fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making “significant efforts” to do so.

The department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) keeps Ireland at ‘tier-two’ level for the third consecutive year.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), which is Ireland’s national rapporteur on the issue, has called for further action to ensure that Ireland reached the top tier of countries in the report.

More victims identified

The TIP report acknowledged the adoption of a national action plan on trafficking, the opening of the first specialised trafficking shelter for women, and increased funding for victim assistance and awareness-raising activities.

It added that law-enforcement authorities had begun more investigations, while prosecutors had initiated the country’s first prosecutions for labour trafficking.

“Law enforcement identified more trafficking victims, and the Government reported delivering comprehensive training to a variety of officials and NGOs,” it added.

Changes to NRM

The report pointed out, however, that the State had not convicted anyone for trafficking offences last year, “and instead relied on non-trafficking statues that may have, at times, resulted in inadequate penalties”.

The State Department called for changes to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the system used for the early identification and assistance of victims of trafficking.

It also urged the Government to provide specialist training on trafficking to judges.

Compensation

IHREC called for the amendment of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking) Bill 2023 to include a specific statutory defence for victims of trafficking, where they have committed crimes “as a direct consequence of them being trafficked”.

It also called for the introduction of a stand-alone offence for holding a person in slavery, servitude, or forced or compulsory labour.

The commission also wants the Law Reform Commission to consider the specific needs of trafficked victims in its review of compensation.

“In doing so, it should consider the inclusion of ‘pain and suffering’ as a ground for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, and the need to make provision for expert witness reports to substantiate claims related to ‘pain and suffering’ in compensation claims,” IHREC urged.

Deirdre Malone (IHREC director) said: “We welcome recent positive developments in the State’s effort to fight the scourge of human trafficking, but this year we need to see a concerted focus to ensure Ireland can reach tier one, and proactively deliver action for victims of human trafficking.”