Victims of human trafficking are “not statistics” but people who have suffered “the most egregious crimes,” the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has said.
In a report submitted to the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), the Commission warned that official figures still underestimate the true number of victims in Ireland.
It said that although 162 people were formally identified as victims between 2022 and 2024, up 30% from the 124 identified between 2019 and 2021, the real figure is likely far higher.
Chief Commissioner Liam Herrick said the figures must not obscure the reality of the crime.
“Victims of trafficking are among the most vulnerable people in our society,” he said.
“They are not statistics. They are not administrative challenges. They are people, including young children, who have suffered the most egregious crimes against them.”
The report told the Council of Europe that serious gaps remain in detection, protection and support for victims, particularly children. IHREC said the State still lacks a dedicated child identification system, does not use age-assessment procedures, and continues to record “chronically low” numbers of child victims.
It added that the presumption of minority introduced under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 was welcome, but would not be sufficient without a child-specific referral process.
IHREC pointed to the vulnerability of unaccompanied and separated children in State care. It said inspectors have found major failings within Tusla’s child protection services, including cases where trafficking concerns were not followed up, safety plans were absent, and dozens of children were unaccounted for while in care.
Accommodation was highlighted as another area of concern. IHREC said that most victims, especially women, are still placed in Direct Provision, which it considers “wholly unsuited to their needs.” It noted that Rosa’s Place, the first gender-specific shelter for trafficking victims, opened recently but has only eight beds and restrictive eligibility criteria.
On supports, the report said legal clarity is still lacking in relation to immigration permits, residence permissions, access to assistance, and the non-prosecution principle.
IHREC also noted delays in operationalising the new National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which is designed to streamline victim identification and support. It said the guidelines needed to bring the system into effect have not been finalised, and called for them to be “clear, comprehensive, consultative, and rights-based.”
Herrick said the focus must remain on ensuring proper protections.
“These victims are often hidden but should not be faceless,” he said.
“They are daughters, sons, parents and grandparents…we have a duty to provide these victims with every support possible.”
The report also broke down the types of trafficking recorded. IHREC noted that 62% of cases between 2022 and 2024 involved sexual exploitation, 28% involved labour exploitation, and 9% were linked to criminal activities. One suspected case of trafficking for organ removal was also reported.
Victims originated mainly from Africa, followed by the European Economic Area and Asia, but the number of Irish nationals identified remained “chronically low.” None were recorded in 2023 or 2024.
The Commission reminded the Government that Ireland must implement the revised EU Anti-Trafficking Directive by mid-2026.
International assessments have already raised concerns. In recent years, the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report has found that Ireland does not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.