Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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563. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions for human trafficking for labour exploitation that have occurred since that offence first appeared on the statute books and the number of convictions that have occurred to date. [53222/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Human trafficking is an exploitive crime that preys on the vulnerable and I have been clear that there is no place for it in our society.

Significant progress was made in the past 12 months in relation to a number of initiatives, particularly in relation to the revised National Referral Mechanism (NRM), and the development of a new Action Plan on Human Trafficking, which I expect to publish shortly.

This recent progress has been acknowledged and reflected in the Trafficking in Persons 2022 report, published in June by the US State Department, which saw Ireland’s ranking upgraded from the Tier 2 watch-list.

Last month I published the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022, which, among other things, will put the revised National Referral Mechanism on a statutory footing.

The Government’s intention is that every victim of trafficking is identified and helped so they can be supported. This is the right approach in and of itself, but it will also help the State gather more information and evidence in order to bring to justice the traffickers who prey on vulnerable people with no regard for the lives and safety of their victims.

While prosecutions are a matter for the Office of the DPP and An Garda Síochána, the State has committed significant resources to the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking in Ireland. A specialised Garda Unit, the Human Trafficking Investigation and Co-ordination Unit (HTICU), has been in place since 2009 to conduct investigations into human trafficking.

In September last year, the first convictions in Ireland for human trafficking were handed down, with significant sentences in the Circuit Criminal Court. Other investigations are ongoing, with, we understand, cases expected to come to court before the end of this year.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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564. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who have obtained residency rights in the State based on a family member who is a UK national when the UK was a member of the EU who now must apply for a new residency permit; if she will consider automatically renewing these applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53223/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Non-EEA family members or dependents of UK nationals continue to hold the same residence rights to live, work or study in Ireland, if they resided here at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.

Non-EEA family members or dependents of UK nationals were required to exchange their valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card for a new one stating that they benefit from the Withdrawal Agreement. This card exchange programme applied from 1 January 2021, and was administered by my Department for applicants nationwide. Applications could be made through an online renewal system.

The initial deadline of 31 December 2021 for the card exchange was extended until 30 June 2022 and has now expired. As of September 2022, approx. 2,750 card exchange applications have been completed.

Non-EEA family members of UK nationals who have not yet exchanged their card should contact the EU Treaty Rights Division in the first instance and each application will be looked at on an individual basis.

When renewing a Withdrawal Agreement Beneficiary (WAB) Card the holder should submit an application for a permanent residence document to EU Treaty Rights Division on Form EUTR3, which is available on my Department's website here: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Form-EUTR3.pdf.