Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach's trip to Washington this year was defined by a number of gaffes. I was particularly alarmed by the statement he made on the topic of human trafficking, when he said, "It's not a particular issue for us in Ireland because our seas are so vast that people can't get there on small boats". I had to read this twice when I saw it reported from Washington. It may have come as a significant shock to the United States Government, which, only a few years earlier, had marked Ireland out as a watchlist country in terms of human trafficking.

Anyone in this House who has done an ounce of research on this topic will know that human trafficking does not necessarily involve the crossing of international borders and that much of the trafficking in this country is domestic. Much of it relates to the sexual exploitation of children and we have a very serious and severe problem with trafficking in this country. The Taoiseach's comments illustrate how little he knows about this key issue. The Taoiseach and his colleagues could benefit from familiarising themselves with the definition of "human trafficking". I recommend that, for once and for all, the country would stop conflating the issues of human trafficking, migrant smuggling and immigration. Human trafficking is a stand-alone human rights issue that affects Irish nationals. It is not something that always involves boats, seas and activities in the dead of night.

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