Human Trafficking

< Tackling Crime < Human Trafficking

The Criminal Justice Policy function in the Department of Justice is the policy and administration unit that functions as the national coordination body.

Key activities

Among its key activities are:

• coordination and development of the government’s response to the problem of human trafficking. This involves working closely with a range of government departments and agencies (the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Affairs, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Department of Health, Department of Social Protection, Department of Defence, the Health Service Executive (HSE), Tusla (the Child and Family Agency), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid Board and Workplace Relations Commission
• developing and maintaining structures and policies to ensure that the Irish Government complies with international obligations set out in the various Conventions to which we are party, and subject of international evaluation (UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Office of the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, the Council of Europe's Group of Experts against Trafficking in Human Beings and the International Labour Organisation)
• development and delivery of a National Action Plan in consultation with other key stakeholders including government agencies and civil society organisations
• coordinating and chairing interdepartmental and interagency meetings for information sharing and policy development. These include liaison with State service providers, NGOs, international organisations and other bodies with a role to play in countering human trafficking
• representing Ireland at international working group meetings about human trafficking (that is, Council of Europe, European Union and United Nations)
• promotion and development of awareness concerning the needs of victims of human trafficking and the services available to adult and child victims. More information about the services available to victims of human trafficking is available on the Blue Blindfold website
• providing annual funding to organisations working in the area of human trafficking. The Department of Justice is the major funder of the lead NGOs operating in the area
• collecting standardised, non-personalised information in relation to suspected and potential victims of human for use as an evidence base for policy development
• working with An Garda Síochána in fulfilment of our international reporting requirements, and in support of An Garda Síochána's role as the Competent Authority for identification of suspected victims of human trafficking
• publishing an annual report detailing efforts and progress in the fight against human trafficking
• bringing together stakeholders within the Justice Sector, including other government departments and agencies, and actors within the NGO community to produce joined-up and complementary actions to identify trafficking, prosecute the perpetrators and provide care to victims

Co-ordination of issues relating to trafficking for:

• sexual exploitation
• labour exploitation
• forced begging
• forced criminal activity
• removal of organs
• child trafficking

Second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland

The Second National Action plan contains 65 actions designed to crackdown on individuals and gangs involved in the crime, to support victims, to raise public-awareness, and to enhance training for those likely to encounter victims. The plan is a victim centred and human rights based approach with the ultimate aims of preventing human trafficking, ensuring an effective criminal justice response and delivery of supports to victims. The Second National Action Plan aimed to build on the work carried out previously and to set out a strategy for the coming years. This plan leverages and builds on international and domestic experience and provides for new initiatives in order to address human trafficking in all its forms. A review has been undertaken of the current Action Plan and an inter-agency working group is now developing the Third National Action Plan to launch in 2022.

A copy of the Plan is available at the following link: Second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland.

Further information

Further information on this topic can be found on the department’s dedicated anti trafficking website Blue Blindfold.