The Government is to introduce legislation to give greater protection to children against sexual and labour exploitation, the Minister for Justice has announced.
The Criminal Law (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences) Bill 2006 was agreed by the Cabinet yesterday.
Michael McDowell said that the new laws would relate specifically to trafficking of persons into Ireland for sexual or labour exploitation. The legislation takes into account the use of modern technology such as the internet in the "sexual grooming" of children. Child protection against paedophiles who entice children to engage in sexual acts is also made a specific offence.
Severe penalties for trafficking for the purpose of harvesting human organs are also covered.
Mr McDowell said that while legislation was already in place to deal primarily with smuggling of human beings and trafficking in children for sexual exploitation, the new legislation went much further. Current legislation in this area was contained in the Sex Offenders Act 2001.
"The proposals are the latest chapter in a strategy in providing comprehensive protection under the criminal law to persons, in particular children and other vulnerable persons, against sexual abuse and attack," Mr McDowell said.
"The Bill provides for full compliance with the EU Council framework decisions on combating trafficking in human beings and combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography," he added.
Mr McDowell outlined how the legislative measures aimed to protect children. "These take into account the use of modern technology such as the internet in the sexual grooming of children . . . It provides more protection to children against persons who offer inducements to them to engage in sexual acts and hits hard at persons who control or organise in any way the sexual exploitation of children," he said.