Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

If a respected international agency makes criticisms, we will examine them.

I noted that 11 persons have been granted temporary permission to reside here for six months. Of these, two were granted a second period of six months and six were given the recovery and reflection period of 60 days.

To return to the Reception and Integration Agency, those entering the RIA system are given full medical screening, including a medical card, and access to a full range of services. They are looked after well, as they should be, in order that their case can be investigated. Recently, a Deputy raised a case which may have involved human trafficking. On investigation, no evidence of human trafficking was found.

The Department is worried about this issue and will continue to monitor it. I have also raised it with my Northern counterparts because the Border is used in some cases. Of the 73 investigations, 10% relate to labour while the balance relates to potential sexual exploitation.

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