Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans on extending the remit of his Department's anti-human trafficking unit to include migrant women involved in prostitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28334/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit was created in my Department in February 2008 to take the lead in the development of a comprehensive, coordinated, whole of Government response to trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation, labour exploitation or for the removal of body organs which (a) meets Ireland's international obligations and (b) develops the structures necessary for tackling human trafficking in Ireland. The Unit is tasked with coordinating actions for the prevention of trafficking, the prosecution of traffickers and the protection of victims in the context of the implementation of the National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Trafficking of Human Beings 2009 - 2012, which was published in June 2009. In that context migrant women involved in prostitution who are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are an important cohort within the work of the Unit.

The parameters of the Unit's remit are set by the International instruments dealing with human trafficking - the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children and the recently adopted Directive of the European Parliament and Council on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Protecting its Victims. Broader issues concerning other crimes related to prostitution and criminal legislation related to prostitution, other than the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008, are dealt with by the Crime and Criminal Law Reform Divisions of my Department.

I am aware that the extension of the remit of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit to include migrant women involved in prostitution is one of the recommendations contained in a report, "Globalisation, Sex Trafficking and Prostitution - The Experiences of Migrant Women in Ireland", commissioned by the Immigrant Council of Ireland. The wide ranging recommendations in the Report required extensive consultation with other Government Departments and Agencies. Many of the Report's recommendations insofar as they relate to human trafficking for sexual exploitation have been addressed in the National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Trafficking of Human Beings 2009 - 2012. I expect to receive a report from my officials shortly on the recommendations in the Report commissioned by the Immigrant Council of Ireland and I will consider at that time what further actions, if any, are necessary in relation to the remit of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.