More than 20 children from Somalia feared trafficked to Ireland

The largest number of notifications to An Garda Síochána this year concerning trafficking related to children from Somalia. Stock picture

Concern has been raised with gardaí about the possibility more than 20 children from Somalia have been trafficked to Ireland.

Tusla, the child and family agency, has notified gardaí it has concerns about the potential trafficking of 35 children this year — 22 of whom are from Somalia and arrived unaccompanied into Ireland.

In the most recent figures supplied by Tusla, just two children from Vietnam have been the subject of concerns notified to gardaí, compared with 40 in the first 10 months of last year.

Last October, Gerry Hone, interim national director for services and integration of Tusla, told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee that trafficking was a significant factor among a cohort of Vietnamese children last year.

However, the largest number of notifications to An Garda Síochána this year concerning trafficking related to children from Somalia.

A spokesman from Tusla said the agency was “committed to responding to and supporting unaccompanied minors, and we work in collaboration with other State agencies to promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people seeking international protection”.

“All international protection applicants and beneficiary of temporary protection applicants deemed to be under the age of 18, and who are not in the custody of an adult, are referred to our team for separated children seeking international protection."

The spokesman said Tusla recorded referrals of unaccompanied minors from a range of sources, including the International Protection Office, the Border Management Unit, An Garda Síochána, and the national out-of-hours service.

"An intake assessment is carried out by Tusla social workers to assess the needs of young persons under the Child Care Act 1991," he said.

"Most young people who arrive unaccompanied in Ireland are fleeing war or a humanitarian crisis in their home countries and arrive by boat or plane."

He added the majority of separated children seeking international protection currently in Tusla's care were from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

While it would not comment on individual cases, Tusla confirmed notifications had been submitted to An Garda Síochána regarding concerns about the potential trafficking of children from Somalia (22), Afghanistan (5), Vietnam (2), Eritrea (2), The Gambia (2), Guinea (1) and Pakistan (1).