O'Flynn “Ireland is failing victims of human trafficking as children in State care remain unaccounted for"

Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, Ken O’Flynn, has condemned the State’s persistent failure to protect victims of human trafficking, calling it “an indictment of Ireland’s commitment to basic human rights”.

Deputy O’Flynn said trafficking is not an abstract problem or a statistic but the daily reality for children, women and men who have been coerced, exploited, and stripped of their dignity. “They deserve safety, justice, and recognition of their humanity – not the indifference of an inadequate system,” he said.

The Cork TD highlighted a litany of failings that international observers have already noted in Ireland’s record. Children remain unaccounted for in State care, with no proper identification or referral system in place. Victims continue to be housed in Direct Provision centres that are wholly unsuited to their needs. The promised National Referral Mechanism — essential to ensuring proper identification and support — has yet to be operationalised. Legal protections on residence status, immigration rights, and the non-prosecution of victims remain unclear and inconsistent.

“These are not minor gaps,” O’Flynn said. “They are systemic failures that leave victims invisible and unsupported. Unless urgent reforms are made, Ireland will continue to fall short of the most basic international standards — and victims will continue to suffer in silence.”

O’Flynn said what is required now is decisive action: a child-specific identification and referral system must be established without delay; safe and specialised accommodation must be expanded far beyond the token provision currently available; and victims must be given clear, enforceable legal protections. In addition, Tusla and An Garda Síochána must be properly resourced and held accountable to act effectively in identifying and protecting victims.

“Ireland must meet its EU obligations by mid-2026, but this is not about deadlines,” O’Flynn said. “It is about people. Every delay is another betrayal of those who have already endured the worst. The duty of the State is clear: no victim of trafficking in Ireland should ever be left invisible, unsupported, or unheard.”