GARDAÍ ARE investigating a total of 65 cases of suspected human trafficking into the State for exploitation, according to new official figures. Fourteen of the cases involve children.
The Department of Justice has confirmed that the cases are being considered as potential victims of trafficking under the provisions of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, 2008, which was enacted in June of last year.
It said the cases are based on allegations that have been made and not on evidence discovered in the course of investigations.
Senior gardaí have concluded so far that at least four of the 65 people were victims of trafficking. They have been granted permission to remain in the State for a period of time for “recovery and reflection”.
Most of the cases involve asylum seekers (32) or separated children seeking asylum (14). Most of the remainder of cases involve immigrants, those living here illegally. Four cases involve EU nationals.
Fine Gael’s immigration spokesman Denis Naughten TD, who obtained the figures from the department, said they were shocking and called on the Government to provide adequate protection for victims of trafficking.
He said many victims of suspected trafficking are placed in unsuitable and unsafe asylum centres or hostels. “The reality is that unless we adopt a decisive and practical approach to protection and support systems, victims will not come forward to Garda authorities. This is fundamental to securing convictions against those directly involved in this trade. By doing this, we are hitting the supply end of the industry,” Mr Naughten said.
“NGOs believe that in some instances traffickers are targeting asylum seekers hostels and identifying women and young girls who they attempt to lure into a life of prostitution.”
The figures come just months after a report by the Immigrant Council of Ireland identified 102 women and girls who were trafficked into the State between 2007 and 2008. The report says these women presented at 10 different services over a 21-month period in 2007-08 and are believed to be a fraction of the number of victims of sex trafficking in Ireland.
The same report estimated that many hundreds of other women, the overwhelming majority of whom are migrant women, are being sexually exploited for profit in an illicit Irish sex industry worth €180 million a year.
The immigrant council said yesterday the figures were “very disturbing but not surprising”. A spokeswoman said the council was concerned that only four women have been officially identified as suspected victims of trafficking and granted a “reflection and recovery” period on that basis.
At present, a suspected victim of trafficking can only be identified by a senior member of An Garda Síochána.
It said the immigrant council and other NGOs working with victims of trafficking have been consistently highlighting the fact that very few victims are being officially identified as such, and this latest information gives cause for real concern.
“Direct provision hostels for asylum seekers are totally inappropriate accommodation for victims of trafficking. They do not provide an adequate level of safety and protection, do not provide access to necessary services and are a not a suitable environment for traumatised people who have been repeatedly sexually exploited,” the council said.
“The fact that 454 unaccompanied migrant children, an unknown number of whom might have been trafficked into this country, have disappeared from State care since 2000 shows that Ireland is failing child victims of trafficking also.”