Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

Last night on the television news we saw horrific pictures and heard about the growing number of children who are being trafficked from eastern Europe to this country. It is a matter of serious concern. While legislation is in place to combat such trafficking, it is obviously being breached if large numbers of children are being brought here illegally. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform should examine this situation to see what can be done to ensure that these very young children, aged from seven upwards, will not be abused in this way. We must do something to stop the trafficking at source and ensure that families are not pressurised to sell their children into slavery. It is abhorrent to think that we, as a country, would have any part in this, so I ask the Leader to see what the Minister can do about it.