Dr. Salome Mbugua:

I thank the Deputy for his question. Many women and girls are trapped into this. We know that Ireland is a transit country.

The issue is very hidden because the majority of women fear that if they go to the Garda or report it, they will be deported or taken back. I refer to a case in June involving several women. Some of them have taken off. Many of them were trapped into this. In 2019, we had to take a corpse back to a country of origin. The woman had been sick but felt that she could not come forward due to a fear of being taken back to her country of origin if she said anything. Most of these women fear that. There is still a lack of organisation. Most of the time, women are just kept in there. They should be supported to recover from what they have gone through so that they can explain what has happened and where. Quite often, they are treated as criminals. This needs to have organisations and groups that can respond rapidly working together with the Garda to be able to support such women so that they can come forward. There are women who are trapped. Instances of trafficking are well hidden and may just come to light when the women are in trouble or sick or the situation is really unbearable and they are unable to stick it. It is still a huge problem.