Human trafficking a real issue in Ireland, MEP says

James Cox

Human trafficking is a real issue in Ireland, and new EU legislation targeting it must be implemented quickly, according to an MEP who helped to draft the new laws.

Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has called on Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan to prioritise the implementation of the new legislation.

Ms Walsh told BreakingNews.ie: "The UN's most recent report only further highlighted the issue. In speaking with an expert in the area of eradicating human trafficking, Kevin Hyland, who worked with the UK government and the Irish government, he predicted 250,000 people were being trafficked in Ireland every year."

In a 2023 interview with BreakingNews.ie, Mr Hyland said the Government needed to put more work into supporting human trafficking victims who come forward.

"When you talk to people it's 'that could never happen in my small town/village', but that couldn't be further from the truth," Ms Walsh said.

She said training is needed in several fields to spot potential signs that someone may be a victim of trafficking. Ms Walsh was involved in writing up the new EU Anti-Trafficking Directive.

"We have seen a rise in An Garda Síochána finding brothels, removing people exploited for labour, a pandemic in drugs, child grooming and trafficking.

"Working as a co-writer on the revision of human trafficking legislation, to close those loops, we've found it's a very profitable silent industry impacting every small town and village.

"We do need to upskill and re-skill within the online dimension, gardaí, teachers, frontline staff in the medical industry, hospitality staff.

"Hoteliers have worked with their staff. Even those working in shopping centres. People must be trained in this."

She said county councillors should be offered training in helping victims of human trafficking, as they are the "first line" in communities.

Ms Walsh said she is working with Ruhama, a Dublin-based NGO that works on a national level with women affected by prostitution, to provide training for councillors in the area.

She said this is something she will also encourage Mr O'Callaghan to consider.

Ms Walsh also said the legislation recommended a better way to handle victims who come forward.

"If gardaí raid a premises being used for sex trafficking, for instance, the victims are often afraid they will be treated as criminals, completely removed from those around you, and isolated from support systems. We have to make sure the victim is at the centre of everything... that is part of the revisions.

"For example, if I am being trafficked and go to An Garda Síochána, I'll have these wraparound services and I won't be penalised for the crime whether it's prostitution, or drug offences, because I've been trafficked.

"We haven't seen this support in many EU member states, but it's in the new legislation.

"We have less than 18 months to implement the new rules, and there's absolutely no reason we can't be ahead of that and be a leader on this.

"I have asked the Minister to provide a timeline for the steps without delay. In quarters 3 and 4 next year we come into our EU presidency, I would hope we'll have this revision in place before that."