Childers welcomes EU moves to end "modern day slavery" of human trafficking

Posted by Bronwen Maher on December 14, 2010 at 01:56 PM

Labour MEP Nessa Childers, speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, has welcomed new legislation which aims to end the 'modern day slavery' of human trafficking in Ireland.

She said: "Today's directive voted on by the European Parliament follows Ireland's ratification of the Council of Europe's 'Convention on Action against Human Trafficking' last month.

"This new EU directive will establish minimum rules to deal with criminals who traffick human beings. It will also introduce common European provisions in order to prevent the crime and protect the victim."

Though Ireland had the option to opt-out of the new directive under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, it has agreed to implement the new measures despite a UK opt-out.

"I am pleased that the Fianna Fail government has finally begun to see sense regarding human trafficking.

"In 2008 the US State Department wrote that ‘The Government of Ireland does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.’ Thankfully action has been taken to address this injustice since then. However Ireland was still only the 30th European country to ratify the Council of Europe convention.

"It's unfortunate that Europe has had to act again to force Fianna Fail's hand on an extremely urgent issue."

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