Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 288: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the progressive campaign of a website (details supplied); if he will address the issue of illegal websites promoting and advertising prostitution or sexual enslavement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7388/11]

Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he will take in dealing with the serious issue of illegal websites promoting and advertising prostitution and sexual enslavement. [7456/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 293 together.

I am aware of the website referred to. Section 23 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 provides for offences in relation to the advertisement of services in circumstances or manner which give rise to the reasonable inference that the premises is a brothel or that the service is one of prostitution. Advertisement in this context is defined as including every form of advertising or promotion, including by way of radio, television, computer monitor or other like means of communication.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána continually targets the individuals and criminal groups involved in criminality within the sex industry. Operation Quest specifically targets organised prostitution, brothel keeping and related offences, including the advertising of prostitution. An Garda Síochána has to date identified, arrested, prosecuted and convicted a number of individuals and criminal groups involved in this activity.

While the issue of such advertising can be difficult to tackle, given the unregulated and international nature of the internet, An Garda Síochána, as part of Operation Quest, monitors the internet and websites associated with the advertising of prostitution, targeting the activities of criminal groups involved in organised prostitution, brothel keeping and money laundering offences. Such investigations are being conducted in conjunction with the Organised Crime Unit at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

Strong legislative, administrative and operational measures have been put in place to prevent and combat trafficking in persons for both sexual and labour exploitation purposes. A dedicated Anti-Human Trafficking Unit was established in my Department in February 2008 to ensure that the State's response to human trafficking is coordinated and comprehensive. This led to the publication in June 2009 of the National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat the Trafficking of Human Beings in Ireland for the period 2009 to 2012. In addition, the Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit in the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and a specialist human trafficking legal team in the Legal Aid Board have been established. These Units have been set up to provide services to victims of human trafficking. Dedicated personnel are also assigned to deal with prosecution of cases in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and in the Asylum Seeker and New Communities Unit in the HSE.

I should add that the law on prostitution is kept under continuing review by my Department.