A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Ireland from 1 to 5 December 2025, as part of the fourth evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
This new evaluation round of monitoring the implementation of the Convention focuses on vulnerabilities to human trafficking and measures taken by States Parties to prevent them, detect and support vulnerable victims, and punish the offenders. This includes a focus on the use of information and communication technology, which brings structural changes to the way offenders operate and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities.
Prior to the visit, the Irish authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the fourth evaluation round. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA examines how the main recommendations made in its third evaluation report on Ireland have been implemented.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met with Mr Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Ms Oonagh McPhillips, Secretary General in the Department of Justice, and Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau. The GRETA delegation also held consultations with representatives of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Health, and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Meetings were also held with An Garda Síochána, including the Human Trafficking Investigation and Co-ordination Unit and the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, the Legal Aid Board, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), the Health Service Executive (HSE), the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS), the International Protection Office, the Workplace Relations Commission, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and Coimisiún na Meán.
Consultations were also held with Mr Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, which is Ireland’s National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, and with Mr Ger Deering, the Ombudsman. Further, GRETA met representatives of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal.
The GRETA delegation held separate meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations, the Bar of Ireland, academia, trade unions and the private sector (Harcourt Programme). Discussions were also held with representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
During the visit, the GRETA delegation visited Rosa’s Place, a specialised shelter for women who are victims of human trafficking, as well as a unit accommodating unaccompanied children operated by Tusla.
The delegation travelled to Cork, where it held meetings with the Cork City Divisional Protective Services Unit and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau’s Cork Satellite Hub. The delegation also paid a visit to Ruhama’s Cork-Kerry Service, which offers support to women impacted by commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Further, a meeting was held with members of the coalition Cork Against Human Trafficking.
The visit was carried out by Ms Dorothea Czarnecki and Mr Georgios Vanikiotis, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Ms Jenna Logeais from the Secretariat of the Convention
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Irish authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt its final report, which will be published in 2026.
