James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 19, line 10, to delete “subject to” and substitute “in accordance with”.

These amendments collectively remove the credibility requirement when an application to be recognised as a victim of trafficking is being assessed. I will speak to the amendments in the grouping together. We are maintaining the current threshold for identification of victims of trafficking on the basis of reasonable grounds of belief. This will ensure our legislation remains aligned with the European Union and the international measures on human trafficking and, in particular, the 2011 EU directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims. More fundamentally, this amendment clarifies the standard to be used when assessing applications, ensuring our processes are robust and transparent. This was sought by a number of Deputies on Committee Stage and is also the subject of amendments submitted by Deputy Pringle today. I know the Minister, Deputy McEntee, previously reassured Deputies that work was under way with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on formulating this very amendment. As Deputies will see, what is required to achieve this is rather complex from a drafting standpoint. However, this complexity is necessary to ensure the wording is sound and most importantly, that it achieves its objectives.

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