Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

My question relates to the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill. A report in today's Irish Examiner reveals that four women in the Cork area who are the victims of sex trafficking are being kept in hiding and that there may be 200 such women throughout the country who are being detained in a brutal fashion. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform appears to view the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill in an extremely confined way. The legislation does not seem to include any provisions relating to victim or witness protection. In the light of today's newspaper report and the questions continually put to the Minister in respect of this matter, will the Government reconsider the proposed legislation and take on board issues relating to victim protection in order to ensure supports will be put in place to allow victims to come forward and challenge criminality of this nature?

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