Ireland’s Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys announced that the cabinet has approved the decision to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Forced Labour Protocol, 2014. 

The Forced Labour Protocol, a legally binding instrument of the ILO, reinforces the international legal framework for combating all forms of forced labour, including trafficking in persons, and calls on ratifying States to take measures to prevent forced labour, protect victims and ensure their access to remedies. 

The ratification of this Protocol will ensure that Ireland is aligned with the most advanced international standards in this area. Ireland will the 29^th country to show its commitment to combatting more recent forms of forced labour, including trafficking for labour exploitation.

Humphreys commented, “Ireland recognises that forced labour undermines the principles of human rights. The State has a comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation and continues its efforts to eliminate human trafficking utilising the provisions of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, 2008 and the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) (Amendment) Act 2013.”

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan welcomed the decision to ratify the Protocol, which he said further demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to acting against labour exploitation in all its forms.

Pat Breen, Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection said the decision “shows a strong commitment on the part of Ireland to the ILO’s principles and values, namely to the core concept of decent work.”

The ratification decision puts Ireland among the group known as “50 for Freedom”, which stems from an ILO initiative to encourage 50-member countries to ratify the Protocol by the end of 2019.