Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number and nationality of adults found to have been trafficked into the State for each of the past five years; and the number and nationality of children found to have been trafficked into the State for each of the past five years. [24210/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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An Garda Síochána and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), in particular, take a proactive and vigorous approach in preventing and combating trafficking of human beings. The GNIB works closely with other specialist units, e.g., the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Garda National Drugs Unit, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau. A number of ongoing Garda operations, including "Operation Hotel" and "Operation Quest", are in place to tackle the phenomenon. The approach taken in tackling trafficking is, where possible, to prevent it occurring, or where it does occur, to seek to prosecute the perpetrators and to protect the victims.

The Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act 2000, Section 2, created the offence of Trafficking in Illegal Immigrants. I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that since the enactment of the Act, convictions have been achieved in respect of ten breaches of Section 2 of the Act.

The information available to me from the Garda Authorities indicates that two convictions were secured in 2001. These related to organising or facilitating the arrival of Ukrainian nationals in the State; another two convictions occurred in 2004 and related to Brazilian nationals while the remaining six convictions in 2006 related to Indian nationals.

Section 3 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 creates an offence of trafficking in children for sexual exploitation. I am informed that no prosecutions have been achieved in respect of this offence to date.