Legislation to deal with illegal trafficking in people will be ready for publication at the beginning of the new year, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has promised.
The Minister told Denis Naughten (FG, Longford-Roscommon) in the Dáil yesterday on the Order of Business that the Criminal Justice (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences) Bill was "almost drafted and I hope to publish it in the first few weeks of next year".
Mr Naughten who had earlier called for a special debate on the issue said that "the trafficking of persons, mainly for sexual exploitation, is the third-biggest illegal trading activity in the EU".
Joe Costello (Lab, Dublin Central) also called for a special debate on the issue.
He said there was a need for Ireland to sign and ratify the 2000 UN protocol on trafficking and the 2004 Council of Europe Convention on Action against trafficking in human beings, adding that trafficking in people "is now a global industry and Ireland is a target destination for trafficking gangs".
Later, on the adjournment of the Dáil, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Conor Lenihan told Mr Costello that "to date there is no evidence to suggest that trafficking of persons into Ireland for the purposes of sexual exploitation is widespread".
"Gardaí have only encountered a small number of trafficking cases and these are being fully investigated," he added.
Speaking for the Minister for Justice, Mr Lenihan said that the Criminal Justice Bill to be published early next year would go further than trafficking conventions.
"It will provide greater protection to vulnerable persons against sexual abuse and generally ensure that our legislation in that respect is kept up to date."
He said it would also comply with a second EU framework decision on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography.
Furthermore, the legislation would "comply with the EU framework decision on combating trafficking in persons for the purpose of their sexual and labour exploitation, and the protocol which supplemented the UN and Council of Europe Conventions, to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children", Mr Lenihan said.
