Immigrant Council Presents Assessment of Government’s Action Plan on Human Trafficking to Council of Europe Expert Group
The Immigrant Council of Ireland has today (05.12.16) presented its assessment of the Government’s action plan on human trafficking to GRETA, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
Representatives from GRETA were in Dublin to evaluate Ireland’s implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and heard reports from a number of NGOs, including the Immigrant Council.
In their presentation to GRETA, the Immigrant Council welcomed the commitments made in the second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland, which was launched by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald in October. However, the Council called for immediate implementation of enhanced measures to identify victims of trafficking and the involvement of independent parties, along with An Garda Síochána, in the identification process.
Brian Killoran, CEO of the Immigrant Council, said the Council particularly welcomed the planned review and revamp of the present procedure for identification of victims of trafficking.
“This is a well-established problem, which impacts on the rest of the anti-trafficking measures pertaining to victims’ protection,” he said. “The current policy limits the right to formal identification solely to undocumented third-country nationals. Thus, it excludes the vast majority of victims who are either EU nationals or asylum-seekers.
“In addition to removing any considerations linked to nationality and immigration status, the Immigrant Council recommends the involvement of independent parties in the assessment process for identification. Presently, only high-ranking officers of An Garda Síochána can identify.”
Mr. Killoran also welcomed the action plan’s commitment to develop a comprehensive policy on the assistance and protection of trafficking victims; and the commitment to consider the establishment of an independent national rapporteur to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures and investments made in combatting human trafficking and protecting its victims.
“In the absence of such a rapporteur, we believe that the role of the Council of Europe’s monitoring mechanism is extraordinarily important,” he said.
Mr. Killoran concluded his presentation by highlighting the Immigrant Council’s ongoing work on the prevention of human trafficking for sexual exploitation through the reduction of demand.
“We welcome the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s resolution from April 2014, ‘Prostitution, Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery in Europe’, calling on member states to consider criminalising the purchase of sex as the most efficient approach to preventing and combatting trafficking in human beings,” he said. “In this regard, the Immigrant Council and an overwhelming majority of civil society in Ireland share the values of the Council of Europe Assembly, and we welcome the commitment in the national action plan to adopt the draft Sexual Offences Bill.”
ENDS