The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has pledged to put pressure on the Government to introduce new legislation to tackle child trafficking.
According to documents seen by The Irish Times, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has warned the Department of Health some of the 250 unaccompanied children seeking asylum who have gone missing from their care have fallen prey to sexual or financial exploitation.
The HSE said it has taken several children back into care after their rescue from "desperate situations" by gardaí.
The IRC's Héilean Rosenstock-Armie said today the lack of co-ordination between various government departments had left many of these children vulnerable to people smugglers.
"The problem is these children's asylum determination falls under the Department of Justice, but care, as they are minors, falls under the Department of Health," she said.
"It is not the fact they are children, but where they are being held. There is a lack of proper vision and lack of proper care because they are seeking asylum, because they are not Irish it is not seen as a childcare issue."
But Tanaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney today insisted that the problem could merely be solved by increased funding for services for asylum seekers.
"I don't accept that every time a new problem arises that we have to find a new source of funding. What we have got to do is use the funding that is available to prioritise where we believe it should be prioritised and make new facilities available," Ms Harney said.
The vast majority of unaccompanied children arriving in Ireland seeking asylum are placed in hostels, while others are placed in residential care, foster care or unsupported lodgings. Many are reunited with their families, but many more remain in State care. There were 174 such children admitted to State care last year, down from 225 the previous year.
The HSE said it believes the vast majority of children arriving in this country have been trafficked, many for arranged underage marriages or prostitution.
An average of three children disappear from State care each month. Many of them are believed to have fallen victim to abuse from people traffickers.
Ms Rosenstock-Armie said the IRC intends to put pressure on Minister for Children Brian Lenihan to bring in new laws to increase protection.