IHREC wants quicker action on trafficking
The State鈥檚 human-rights watchdog has told the Council of Europe that a measure aimed at supporting victims of human trafficking needs to be implemented urgently in Ireland.
The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) was approved by the Cabinet in May, but the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) says that it needs to be progressed this year.
The NRM allows the State and civil society to co-operate, share information about potential victims, identify those victims, and facilitate their access to advice, accommodation and support.
IHREC鈥檚 recommendation comes in a report, published today (18 October), on Ireland鈥檚 compliance with the .
Accommodation overhaul
The report points to some positive progress 鈥 including Ireland鈥檚 first prosecutions for trafficking offences in June. It warns, however, that trafficking victims remain unlikely to be identified, are cut off from supports, and are often left open to further abuses.
The commission argues that the NRM needs to be applicable to all suspected trafficking victims, regardless of their nationality and immigration status.
It also warns that the accommodation of victims of trafficking needs 鈥渁n urgent overhaul鈥, and cannot be treated as 鈥渁 secondary issue鈥 in the process of winding down the system of direct provision.
鈥淭he delayed delivery of a specialised shelter for victims of trafficking is a particularly urgent, in light of all the evidence of the gender-specific nature of trafficking to Ireland,鈥 the report says.
鈥楲ow base鈥
IHREC says that an expert group from the Council of Europe will be travelling to Ireland later this year for detailed meetings on how the State is responding to the issue of human trafficking.
The commission's report notes that Ireland remains one of only two EU states on the US State Department鈥檚 Tier 2 watch-list for action on trafficking.
鈥淲hile it鈥檚 important to acknowledge that positive steps are being taken, it鈥檚 clear that Ireland is starting from a low base in tackling human trafficking, and that, as a country, we have a long way to go,鈥 says Sin茅ad Gibney (IHREC鈥檚 chief commissioner).