Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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413. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce a requirement for special training for airline staff to enable them to identify victims of trafficking among passengers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16203/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Trafficking of Human Beings in Ireland identified the need to establish links with airlines to develop awareness among staff of the potential vulnerability of children travelling either alone or with adults.

In 2012 the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of my Department, in consultation with their counterparts in the United Kingdom, developed a training resource for airline staff and this is available on my Department's dedicated anti-human trafficking website www.blueblindfold.gov.ie. Since that time, joint communications by the Irish and United Kingdom authorities have been made with airlines flying into and out of both jurisdictions seeking their support to help in the fight against human trafficking by providing training to airline staff on the indicators of human trafficking.

A second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Human Beings in Ireland is currently being drafted and will address further follow up action in this regard.