The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) published its second evaluation report on Ireland on 20 September 2017.

GRETA welcomes the inclusion of the Human Trafficking Investigation and Co-ordination Unit in the newly established Garda National Protective Services Bureau, which has resulted in separating the identification of victims of trafficking from immigration control, as recommended by GRETA in its first report. GRETA once again urges the Irish authorities to review as a matter of priority the policy of accommodating presumed victims of trafficking in accommodation centres for asylum seekers, with a view to ensuring that the accommodation is gender-sensitive, appropriate and safe, and that victims are provided with specialised services.

GRETA also asks the authorities to improve the identification of victims of trafficking in detention centres, by continuing to give access to such centres to specialised NGOs and lawyers, and ensuring that following a positive reasonable grounds decision, presumed victims of trafficking are speedily removed from detention and offered assistance and protection as provided in the Convention.