Irish Policy on Prostitution and trafficking for sexual exploitation
On 17 October 2016, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., launched the Second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland. The Second National Action Plan seeks to build on the work carried out to date and set out a strategy for the coming years. This plan leverages and builds on international and domestic experience and provides for new initiatives in order to address human trafficking in all its forms.
This Second National Action Plan outlines in Part 1, the structures and policies to be put in place to address human trafficking and support its victims. Part 2 of the plan outlines the priorities identified to further address this issue and set out clear targets for delivery.
There is a list of 65 actions in the Second National Plan whose Goals and Priorities are to:
- Prevent trafficking in human beings
- Identify, assist and protect and support victims of trafficking in human beings
- Ensure an effective criminal justice response
- Ensure that Ireland’s response to human trafficking complies with the requirements of a human rights based approach and is gender sensitive.
- Ensure effective co-ordination and co-operation between key actors, both nationally and internationally
- Increase the level of knowledge of emerging trends in the trafficking of human beings
- Continue to ensure an effective response to child trafficking.
Delivery on the commitments in this Plan is reliant on a range of bodies across Government and State Services. It is also important to recognise the role played by civil society in responding to this issue; they too have a crucial role to play. Partnership between the State and civil society will continue to be central to the States approach to tackling this heinous crime and supporting its victims.
It also has regard to our commitments under international agreements including the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.
The Plan is available at www.blueblindfold.gov.ie
Contact details:
The Department of Justice and Equality,
51 St Stephens Green,
Dublin 2.
Tel: +353 1 476028202
Fax: +353 1 6615461
Email: info@justice.ie
Website: www.justice.ie
An impartial and anonymous telephone hot-line for the confidential reporting of suspicions of trafficking is available from 9a.m to 9p.m. at 1800 25 00 25.
To report suspicions of trafficking to An Garda Síochana (Police): blueblindfold@garda.ie (link sends e-mail)