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Ireland

  • Genarally
  • Excerpt from the questionnaire
  • Contacts

Genarally

Flag Of Ireland Flag Of Ireland
The role of National Rapporteur is not established in
Ireland. However, other monitoring mechanisms are in place.
 
An Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) was established in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in February 2008, under the stewardship of an Executive Director. The role of this Unit is to ensure the State’s response to human trafficking is coordinated, comprehensive and holistic. In this context the Unit is engaged with over 50 different stakeholders (governmental, non-Governmental and international organisations) both domestically and internationally.

The primary advantage of the arrangements in place is that it allows for multi-disciplinary cooperation encompassing a wide range of Government Departments and Agencies, in addition to close cooperation with International Organisations and NGOs working in a variety of anti-trafficking sectors involving both sexual and labour exploitation. 
 
On 1 January, 2009 the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit implemented a data collection strategy based on data collection systems being developed at EU level 1 and following discussion at the interdisciplinary (NGO, Governmental and International Organisations) National Referral Mechanism Working Group. The goal of this strategy is to collect information on cases of possible/suspected trafficking by means of a standardised template from a variety of different sources (including NGOs, Government Agencies, Garda Síochána, etc). This information will be collated to provide more reliable and useful data on the nature and extent of trafficking on an on-going basis.
 
An Interdepartmental High Level Group, with representatives from key Government Departments was also established in 2008. This group was established by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to recommend to him the most appropriate and effective responses to trafficking in human beings – much of which will be addressed in the National Action Plan, which is at an advanced stage and due to be published in the coming months. In this context the High Level Group is complemented by the Non-Governmental and Governmental Roundtable Forum on Combating Human Trafficking, consisting of some 34 stakeholders, and the 5 interdisciplinary groups have been established to deal with: 
  • Child trafficking issues,
  • Labour exploitation issues, 
  • Awareness Raising and Training,
  • Development of a National Referral Mechanism,
  • Sexual Exploitation issues.
A Human Trafficking Investigation and Co-ordination Unit has recently been established within the Garda National Immigration Bureau of the Garda Síochána. The role of the Unit is to assist with policy in the area of human trafficking. The Unit will be a centre of excellence for the Garda Síochána and will co-ordinate and oversee all investigations where there is an element of human trafficking and will provide advice, guidance and operational support for investigations. The Unit will also conduct some investigations.
 
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is also answerable to Parliament in relation to anti-trafficking matters.
In addition to the domestic evaluation systems in place, as you will be aware it should be noted that Ireland is also subject to evaluation internationally. This applies in the context of evaluation of our compliance with
  •  EU, UN and Council of Europe legally binding instruments, 
  • implementation of the EU Action Plan on Trafficking in Human Beings,
  • in due course, implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (by GRETA – the expert Group established under Article 36 of the Convention to monitor implementation by State Parties).
For the reasons outlined and in particular given that many of the structures in Ireland are new it is not deemed appropriate at this stage to establish a National Rapporteur.
 
 


(1) These include (a) the Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (Ghent University, Belgium) in association with Transcrime: Siamsect/MantraSect; (b) IOM/Austrian Ministry of the Interior: Guidelines for the Collection of Data on Trafficking in Human Beings including comparable indicators and (c) International Centre for Migration Policy Development: Handbook on Anti-Human Trafficking Data Collection in South-Eastern Europe: Developing Regional Criteria.

Excerpt from the questionnaire

9. What are the main tasks and responsibilities of the National Rapporteur in your country?
  • 9.1. Monitoring and analyses of the situation, trends and possible threads.
    Yes.
  • 9.2 Collection of data on THB.
    • 9.2.1. There is a central collection of a statistical data on THB and the data is received from various stakeholders (e.g. Ministry of Justice, Police, labour Inspectors, Embassies, NGO’s etc.).
      • 9.2.1.1. If yes, please provide information on the nature of the stakeholders. (E. g. Ministry of Justice, Police, Labour Inspectors, Embassies, NGOs, etc.).
        Yes.
  • 9.1. and 9.2. - Please note, that with effect from 1 January 2009, data is being collected centrally by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit from various governmental and non-Governmental stakeholders. The stakeholders include the police, National Employment Rights Authority (Labour Inspectorate) and NGO’s. The data collection strategy implemented is based on data collection systems being developed at EU level and following discussion at the National Referral Mechanism Working Group. This data will be collated to provide reliable and useful data on the nature and extent of trafficking on an on-going basis and to plan policies, responses and resources based on this information.
    • 9.2.2. Is some of the data collected directly by the National Rapporteurs office? (e. g. personal data on the following).
      • 9.2.2.1. victims
      • 9.2.2.2. investigated persons
      • 9.2.2.3. convicted persons
      • 9.2.2.4. any other relevant data 
        None of the data is collected directly by the National Rapporteurs Office.
        Data is provided by NGOs concerning potential victims of trafficking who have not been certified by the Garda Síochána as suspected victims of trafficking. The data is collected on the basis of an ID code and is anonymous. 
         
        Data is provided, when required, by the Garda Síochána on the cases under investigation which may potentially involve trafficking. The Garda Síochána also provide information on the number of victims who have been certified as suspected victims and granted recovery and reflection periods and in respect of those who have been granted temporary residency.
 
No persons have yet been convicted under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008. However, such information, when it becomes relevant can be provided by either the Courts Service or the Garda Síochána. 
 
Data is also provided by the Health Service Executive on the number of unaccompanied minors in their care. While these figures do not necessarily relate to trafficking there is a possible overlap between child trafficking and unaccompanied minors. 
  • 9.3. Coordination of anti-trafficking activities on a national level.
  • 9.4. National Reports. 
    • 9.4.1. Annual Reports
    • 9.4.2. Reports based on a longer period. Please describe period length and state why this specific period of time was chosen. 
      The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit contributes on an annul basis to the Annual Report of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. 
       
      The National Action (which it is proposed will be for a 3 year period) is currently in the process of being drafted and will be published in the coming months. It is likely that an interim review of the National Action Plan will be conducted in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Adjustments to the plan may be made on the basis of such a review and having regard to the experience gained over time in tackling trafficking in human beings. 
  • 9.5. Preparation and evaluation of the National Action Plans. 
    • 9.5.1. To whom are the above mentioned documents submitted? 
    • 9.5.2. Who approves these documents? 
    • 9.5.3. Who enforces the actions stipulated by the documents? 
      The National Action is currently in the process of being finalised and will be published in the coming months. The Plan, when approved by the High Level Group will be submitted to the Minister for approval and then to the Government for approval and publication. The Interdepartmental High Level Group will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Plan. 
  • 9.6. International cooperation in the majority of the above mentioned areas.
    In addition to co-operation with the EU, UN, OSCE and Council of Europe the Anti Human Trafficking Unit and the Garda Síochána are also involved with the G6 initiative. The Initiative, which was launched in October 2007 for a one year period, is a co-ordinated international campaign of activity to tackle trafficking in human beings. It involves six European countries - namely the UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands and Ireland and is supported by Europol, Eurojust and Interpol. The initiative is a multi-strand operation marrying policy development with a period of operational policing enforcement activity. The agreed aims and objectives of the initiative were as follows:
  • To learn more about the problem of human trafficking in the EU;
  • To make the EU a more hostile environment for criminals engaged in trafficking;
  • To increase the specialist capabilities of EU Member States to tackle the problem of trafficking;
  • To raise awareness of the problem with the public, in Government and among law enforcement agencies;
  • To develop victim care capabilities in the EU and promote a victim centred approach in tackling the problem;
  • To enhance international co-operation in tackling human trafficking.

The four strands of activity of the initiative are:

  • an Intelligence Strand led by Europol
  • an Enforcement Strand led by the Netherlands for 
  • labour exploitation and the UK for sexual exploitation
  • an Awareness Raising Strand led by Ireland
  • a Victims Strand led by the UK.

An evaluation of the initiative is currently underway.

 
 

Contacts

Contacts:

 
Details of the Unit responsible for the co-ordination of Government policy are as follows:
 
Anti-Human Trafficking Unit
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Pinebrook House
71-74 Harcourt St
Dublin 2
Ireland
Phone: (+353.1) 6028879
Fax: (+353.1) 6028257
 
Ireland has no specific website for the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.
However, information on state activities in relation to anti-Human Trafficking issues in Ireland may be accessed either from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform website (at http://www.justice.ie – under the Crime and Law Enforcement section) or at www.blueblindfold.gov.ie

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