Green Party Senator Déirdre de Búrca has called for greater action by the Irish government on human trafficking, which she described as ” a
modern day slave trade”, following her recent attendance at the17th Annual meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Astana, Kazakhstan.

De Búrca made her remarks following a parliamentary assembly debate on the eighth annual “Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report” which addresses
 human trafficking around the world, including in most OSCE participating states.

“The TIP Report examines the trafficking prevention, prosecution and victim protection efforts of governments in countries of origin, transit or
 destination” says De Búrca. “Governments are characterised as belonging to one of three tiers, depending on their levels of compliance with
 minimum standards of combating human trafficking. The report places Ireland in Tier Two, which means that it is not seen as fully complying with
minimum standards, but is considered to be making significant efforts to do so”.

“The Trafficking in Persons Report identified that key deficiencies existed in Ireland’s attempts to eliminate trafficking in the areas of prosecution,
protection and prevention” says De Búrca. “It noted that the Irish Government did not report any prosecutions of trafficking offences or convictions of
 trafficking offenders in 2007. However, it also welcomed the introduction of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act  (2007) and noted that the current
 Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill also includes provisions for the protection of trafficking victims. The report recommended that Ireland
implement a visible trafficking demand -reduction campaign nationally”.

Senator De Búrca has called on the Irish Government to ratify the 2000 UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol.

For further information please contact :
Senator Déirdre de Búrca on 086 8061450

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Press Release by Deirdre