Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter on the Adjournment. I am asking the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to outline his plans for specific legislation to outlaw the abhorrent trafficking of women for sex, as recommended in the report of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána working group on trafficking in human beings, published on 5 May 2006.

The trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation is not a new phenomenon, but in recent times it has become a problem for Ireland on a scale never seen before. I understand that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is in the process of preparing legislation to bring Ireland into compliance with EU directives and that legislation to make human trafficking for sexual exploitation a specific offence is forthcoming. I wish to underline the seriousness of the problem and to implore the Minister to introduce legislation. We have slipped up in not implementing the EU directives before now. We need legislation that will not only punish those responsible but will also facilitate the prevention and reporting of this appalling crime.

As immigration becomes a normal feature of Irish life, we must be careful that we do not create a culture where immigrants who have been brought into this country illegally are afraid to come forward to report that they are being abused and exploited. We must not allow our immigration policy to prevent us from ensuring that the human rights of every person in our jurisdiction are protected to the maximum extent possible. This is never more important than when considering the plight faced by young women brought into this country illegally to work in the sex trade. We must combat the misconception that this trade is one that women enter into of their own free will.

Often, young women are taken from their homes and families in eastern Europe, seduced by the promise of a better life, only to be reduced to slavery by evil people. The young women are told that members of their family will be killed if they try to escape and they are fed lies about what the Irish authorities will do if they go to them for help.

We must ensure that everyone in Ireland knows that their rights are absolute and that they will be treated with compassion and respect by the authorities. Creating such an environment necessitates acknowledging that the trafficking of human beings for sex is an issue in Ireland, alerting all Irish people to the problem, explaining the seriousness of the situation and the appalling abuse of women and children that the sex trade entails and encouraging people to report any suspicions they may have.

I implore the Minister to do everything in his power to create a situation where victims of sex trafficking are treated as victims and not criminals. We must stamp out the sex trade in Ireland immediately.