Trafficking

Submission on the National Action Plan on Trafficking in Human Beings - January 2008

In January 2008, the OCO submitted its advice on the National Action Plan on Trafficking in Human Beings to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The submission highlighted the need for greater victim support in Ireland in order to comply with international best practice in this area and it focussed on the issues of prevention, awareness raising, prosecution of offenders and the protection of child victims of trafficking.

Advice of the Ombudsman for Children on the General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences Bill, 2006)
The General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences) Bill was referred to the Office by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform pursuant to Section 7(4) of the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002.

The Ombudsman for Children submitted her comments on the Bill to the Minister for
Justice, Equality and Law Reform in May 2007. This very significant Bill was designed to ensure compliance with a number of key international instruments relevant to trafficking and sexual offences against children (including the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Pornography, the UN Palermo Protocol on Trafficking and the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings).

While the Bill largely satisfied Ireland's international obligations in relation to enabling the authorities to prosecute traffickers, the OCO pointed out that it did not adequately take into account the particular vulnerability of child victims and provide for their needs.