Matter of life and death for sex trade victims

The article by Denise Charlton, chief executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, (Irish Examiner, June 16) is a welcome reminder of the Government’s failure to act on the recommendation of the Oireachtas Justice Committee to introduce legislation targeting the buyers of sex and those forcing women into prostitution as a matter of urgency.

This is a matter of life and death for the victims of this vile trade, many of them little more than children. It is, fortunately, one of the areas where Government action does not require a huge investment in funding. On the contrary any expenditure will be more than offset by averting the very real dangers posed for Ireland if it becomes a centre for the international vice business while other governments in Europe and North America pass laws making life difficult these criminals.

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union is a member of the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign and we strongly urge the Government to act now. We trust Frances Fitzgerald will show her mettle in the coming weeks by putting this issue top of her list of priorities.