Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)

I support Deputy Naughten's motion this evening. I am appalled at the extent to which human trafficking has grown in the European Union, especially in this country. During the Celtic tiger years this country attracted many immigrants from around the world. We broadly welcomed them. Many workers from China, Poland and Africa demonstrated a great work ethic and without them this country would not have done as well. However, there is always a downside and that came in the form of human trafficking. Unscrupulous criminals saw a new wealth in this country and targeted it as a new hub for the sex trade in western Europe.

Recent statistics tell us that up to 75% of 1,000 women involved in indoor prostitution in this country at any given time are immigrants. In 2007 and 2008 a minimum of 102 women and girls were clearly identified as having been sex trafficked. Many of those women are, in effect, prisoners in the dark and murky world of prostitution. They have little hope of escaping from the people who trafficked them into this country to make money. Even if they manage to escape they are terrified of bringing themselves to the attention of the authorities as they are undocumented and could face deportation. There is no protection for those women and children and without being able to approach the authorities for help there is no hope of apprehending the traffickers and bringing them to justice.

Incredibly the Government response to tackling this problem has been slow and lacks conviction. Last year's introduction of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act gave us hope that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform was getting real about this serious problem. Among other measures it created separate offences, including that of traffic in children and adults for the purpose of their labour or sex exploitation. That was a welcome step in the right direction. However, we cannot address the problem with a criminal law response alone; we are dealing human beings - women and children - many of whom are traumatised by the ordeal of being tricked into coming to a strange country and then forced into working in prostitution.

We need to put the victims of trafficking in a suitable sanctuary and remove them from those situations in which they are most vulnerable. I support Deputy Naughten's assertion that the housing of trafficking victims by the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, is not the correct course of action. That is the wrong place for victims. It is vital to put in place a specific service, including safe and secure accommodation to help victims of trafficking to deal with the trauma they have endured. Organisations such as Ruhama, the Immigrant Council of Ireland and the Migrant Rights Centre do great work to help women in difficult situations but that cannot be sustained in the long term.

Furthermore, the authorities need to seriously address the problem of unaccompanied minors, many of whom end up being drawn into the sex trade and subjected to abuse and violence. We have seen cases of children disappearing from care. We must do more to prevent them from being manipulated or coerced into prostitution. It was reported during the summer that the Garda was investigating 65 cases of suspected trafficking into the State for exploitation. A total of 14 of those cases involved children. It is clear that our duty of care for those children and their well-being has become obscure and cannot be allowed to continue.

Alongside the issue of trafficking and forced labour another serious trend which has developed in our towns and cities is the increase in massage parlours and brothels. Just last week it was reported that at least 90 massage parlours in Dublin, which are essentially brothels, were advertising on the Internet and in newspapers via mobile telephone numbers. They operate independently of legitimate businesses who run their business from a proper premises with a landline. Those Chinese, eastern European and African massage parlours are advertising openly and being run on a prolific basis across the city.

It is painfully clear that we urgently need to review the prostitution laws in this country. That is why Fine Gael has repeatedly called on the Government to establish a high level group to review and examine the prostitution laws with a view to preventing the increase of sex trafficking. We must give those who have been victimised and trafficked their lives back and help them achieve some sort of normality if it is not already too late.

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