3 HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONVICTIONS IN 13YRS
Ireland on US watchlist over issues says TD
ONLY three people have been convicted of human trafficking or child sexual exploitation in over a decade despite 1,200 related offences coming before the courts.
It has emerged a total of 1,223 cases came before district courts in Ireland from 2010 to the first half of last year.
But less than a handful resulted in a conviction as Ireland is now seen as a soft touch and ideal destination for the trafficking gangs.
The recent case of 14 undocumented migrants found in a refrigerated container at Rosslare Europort has again highlighted the extent of the problem.
The fact all were allowed to disappear while no one was detained for the trafficking may further encourage criminals to up their operations.
The majority of cases that came before the courts in the last decades involved the detention and sexual exploitation of children illegally trafficked into the country.
The figures show a total of 207 suspects appeared before the courts in relation to trafficking cases and just nine of these are related to the “trafficking of an adult”, according to the Department of Justice figures.
Aontu leader Peadar Toibin has accused the Government of “not taking the problem seriously”.
He added: “Ireland is on a United States government watchlist country in terms of human trafficking.
“The State Department states the ‘Government of Ireland does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking’. I have never seen a worse conviction rate in any other area of serious crime.”
How many cases before the courts but only handful of convictions