Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing us to raise this issue here this evening. It is my hope that we can discuss this issue without accusations regarding motivation coming into the debate. My colleague, Deputy Fitzmaurice, and I have raised this issue because there is anxiety about the implications for Ireland of becoming a signatory, as I understand we have done, to the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, which was adopted this week at the UN intergovernmental conference which took place in Morocco. In response to a recent parliamentary question, I was told that the compact is "non-binding and respectful of national sovereignty". I was also told that this is happening "against a background where individual States cannot address challenges relating to migration alone. For example, cross-border efforts are essential if human smuggling and trafficking is to be reduced."

However, on foot of a parliamentary question I tabled to the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, last July, we know that there has not been a single conviction for human trafficking under the provisions of our own Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008, despite the fact that there were two prosecutions under the relevant section of the Act in 2016 and four prosecutions in 2017. If we cannot get our own house in order with respect to trafficking and people smuggling, what hope do we have of addressing the world's people trafficking problems? As I said, there are great concerns about this. I am raising this issue in a non-adversarial way because we are concerned. Since 2012, a total of 101 prosecutions have been issued under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008. The vast majority of these prosecutions relate to offences under the section of the Act covering child trafficking and pornography, which we also have to cover. While on the one hand it is very encouraging, I cannot fail to be concerned about the fact that only 48 convictions have emerged from the process since 2012.

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