Ireland has ratified an International Labour Organisation convention banning child slavery and prostitution and other damaging forms of child labour.
The Convention Concerning the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour was adopted unanimously by the 174 ILO member-states in June. The sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom are among other practices banned by the convention.
The ILO estimates some 250 million children are economically active worldwide.