Human trafficking legislation
Deputy Corcoran Kennedy asks when legislation transposing the EU human-trafficking directive will proceed; the Minister says its heads have not reached Cabinet and are unlikely before mid-next year.
Today is EU Anti-Human Trafficking Day and all right thinking people agree that human trafficking is a gross violation of human rights both in the context of forced labour and forced sexual labour. When will the heads of the criminal law (human trafficking)(amendment) Bill, which will transpose the EU trafficking directive, be approved by the Government?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, particularly on this day, because it is very appropriate. The heads of the Bill have not yet come to Cabinet and, therefore, on that basis I suggest it will be in the middle of next year at the earliest.