Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 563: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 174 of 22 June 2006, if he will clarify whether the offences for which the ten convictions were obtained related to trafficking in persons for the purpose of forced labour or sexual exploitation. [25699/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the ten convictions referred to in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 174 tabled for answer on 22 June last relate to breaches of section 2 of the Illegal Immigrants Trafficking Act 2000. The prosecutions in question arose from detections at ports of entry into the State.

Under the above mentioned provision, it is an offence for a person to organise or knowingly facilitate the entry into Ireland of another person whom that person knows or has reasonable cause to believe is an illegal immigrant or a person who intends to seek asylum. The legislation does not distinguish between smuggling and trafficking but legislation, which I expect to publish later this year, will create a new offence of trafficking persons into, through or out of Ireland for the specific purposes of sexual or labour exploitation.