Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I wish to be associated with the expressions of relief at the release from captivity of Ingrid Betancourt. My question to the Leader relates to another person in captivity in Ireland and the need for a debate on the functioning of our laws against trafficking which were recently passed in this House and the Dáil. A young Nigerian woman was arrested and brought before the court for failing to show a passport or have identification last Friday. This person could be a minor and is a suspected victim of trafficking. Despite that under our trafficking laws and the current administrative provisions there is supposed to be a 45-day reflection period, we find that out of concern for this person, she has been put in jail where she is at the moment.

Two issues arise. What is being done by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to ensure suspected victims of trafficking, not just minors, are properly treated and not incarcerated in light of the spirit we are supposed to be following with our new legislation? This person's identity was revealed in The Irish Times yesterday. Is there a lacuna in our legislation? In circumstances where there is the prosecution of an offence of trafficking, one can protect the anonymity of the potential victim. What about a situation, as is likely to occur many times, where the first person to come before the court on a related potential offence is a suspected victim of trafficking? This is not a matter that can be brought forward in a Private Members' Bill. It may be a matter that requires amending legislation to close this loophole to allow us to protect the anonymity of a suspected victim of trafficking. I would like to hear from the Leader on that.

I ask the Leader to do what he can to ensure there is courtesy among Members in our utterances inside and outside this House. It has not been edifying to note the type of language used to demonise Senator Jim Walsh and his colleagues in respect of the motion they brought to their parliamentary party.