US calls on Ireland to improve identification of victims of human trafficking

US State Department report said: 'The Government of Ireland does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.' File picture

Ireland is being called on to improve the identification of victims of human trafficking in a report published by the US State Department.

The Trafficking in Persons Report stated Ireland remains on tier two of the human trafficking watchlist for the second year in a row. 

The report, published on Monday, said: “The Government of Ireland does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.” 

While listing achievements such as introducing specialised accommodation last year for female victims of trafficking; increasing funding for victim assistance and awareness-raising activities, and more law enforcement activities in the areas, the Government came under criticism in a number of areas.

The report said: “The government did not convict any traffickers for trafficking and instead relied on non-trafficking statutes that may have, at times, resulted in inadequate penalties and has never convicted a trafficker for labour trafficking under its anti-trafficking law. Systemic deficiencies in victim identification, referral, and assistance persisted; the government did not amend its NRM [national referral mechanism] and, consequently, did not identify any Irish nationals as victims.” 

It continued: “The government did not overhaul its framework for providing accommodations to trafficking victims, which continues to leave victims with inadequate and unsuitable accommodations. The government did not report providing trafficking-specific training to any judges and has never awarded restitution or compensation to any victims.” 

Priority recommendations

Topping the list of priority recommendations in the report is that Ireland must improve victim identification and assistance by issuing a revised National Referral Mechanism, in coordination with non-governmental organisations, and increase efforts to proactively identify and protect all victims. 

It said there was especially a need to identify and protect “Irish citizens, victims of labour trafficking and forced criminality, and vulnerable populations like children, sea fishers, and asylum-seekers”.

The report comes as a large-scale joint operation against human trafficking has led to 219 arrests and the identification of 1,374 potential victims, including 153 children, across 39 countries — including Ireland.

Gardaí attached to An Garda Síochána’s Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit were present at Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports, Connolly train station as well as Dublin Port from June 3 to 9 as part of the operation.

Gardaí said a number of premises in Clare, Limerick and Waterford were searched as part of the operation, with “a number of potential victims of human trafficking” being “spoken to at the locations”.

A Garda statement said: “A number of females were identified as working in the sex industry and all were provided with information on support organisations and information on the Organised Prostitution Investigation Unit and the Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit.”