Temporary residency permits should be offered to people trafficked into Ireland for cheap labour or sexual exploitation, it was claimed today.
Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney called on the Government to consider including the measure to aid trafficked women in planned immigration and anti-trafficking legislation.
"Human trafficking is rooted in poverty; the victims are usually women and they are forced into dangerous, illegal or abusive work," he said.
"Many of the women who are trafficked are heading for a life of prostitution. They are often promised jobs and a better life but end up working against their will in the sex industry, living in fear of the police, their pimps and the authorities who might send them back."
Presenting his report on human trafficking to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, he said: "People who are trafficked are victims, and we should not lose sight of that fact."
He said new proposed immigration legislation gave Ireland the opportunity to comprehensively address the problem.
In the report, Mr Coveney called upon all EU member states to implement the Council Directive on Residence Permits so the option of temporary residence could be granted to trafficked people if they co-operate with law enforcement authorities.
"Women should not be deported immediately back to their countries of origin where their safety cannot be guaranteed. Very often they fear reprisals from the individuals that trafficked them. Instead, Ireland and other EU countries should consider granting these women periods of recovery and reflection," he said.
"Ireland has not signed or ratified the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking. Ireland needs to ratify these instruments and pass specific trafficking legislation as a matter of urgency."
Mr Coveney said the EU should continually raise the issue in political dialogues with third countries.
In his report, he also urged the EU to examine the issue of organ trafficking for money, particularly in relation to China, after allegations over the removal of organs from prisoners due for execution.