Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of victims of human trafficking under 18 years of age who have been identified during each of the past five years; the number of times during each of the past five years that his administrative immigration arrangements for the protection of victims of human trafficking provided for a period of recovery and reflection of longer than 60 days; the length of time allocated in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37910/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, 2008 came into effect on 7 June 2008. I am informed by the Garda authorities that since then An Garda Síochána have undertaken human trafficking investigations involving 49 suspected victims under the age of eighteen as follows:

June to December 2008 - 6

2009 - 17

2010 - 19

2011 (to date) - 7

Administrative Immigration Arrangements for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, which included provisions for granting a 60-day recovery and reflection period, if required, and a 6 month temporary residence permission for persons who wish to cooperate with the investigation or prosecution of the trafficking offence were also put in place with effect from 7 June 2008. The Administrative Immigration Arrangements for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking were amended on 9 March 2011 to include a provision that where a person below the age of 18 years who is not the holder of a valid permission to be in the State is identified as a suspected victim of trafficking, a recovery and reflection period of a duration greater than 60 days may be granted having regard to the arrangements in place for the care and welfare of the child.

To date, a recovery and reflection period of a duration greater than 60 days has not been granted where a person below the age of 18 years who is not the holder of a valid permission to be in the State is identified as a suspected victim of trafficking. 60 days recovery and reflection periods have been granted to two persons below the age of 18 years who were not the holders of a valid permission to be in the State to date, one in 2009 and one in 2010.