Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I call for an urgent debate with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, to discuss the abhorrent issue of sex trafficking, a burgeoning business worth an estimated €28 billion per annum worldwide. That makes this heinous crime the second largest source of profit of organised crime after drug trafficking. The United Nations estimates that more than 1 million persons are trafficked every year, mainly women and children but some boys and men also.

We were all rightly horrified by the "Prime Time Investigates" programme of 8 May but the issue appears to have left the political radar and conscience. I take the opportunity to laud our Leader, Senator O'Rourke, who proposes to introduce a Bill on sex trafficking.