Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Ireland (Ratification: 1999)

Article 3 of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour. Clause (c). Use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. The Committee previously noted that the Child Care Act protects children from the use of drugs but not from being used, procured or offered for the trafficking of drugs. It also noted that the Child Care (Amendment) Act of 2007 contains no provisions prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of a child for the production and trafficking of drugs. The Committee requested the Government to indicate whether legal provisions exist prohibiting the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, including the production and trafficking of drugs.

The Committee notes with satisfaction that the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) (Amendment) Act of 2013 expands the definition of “exploitation” to include forcing a person, (including a child under the age of 18 years) to engage in an activity that constitutes an offence. In this regard, the Committee notes that section 4 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulation (S.I. No. 328/1988), the Criminal Justice Act, 1999 (section 15A) and the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act, 2010 (section 3) make it an offence to produce, possess, supply, export or import controlled drugs and psychoactive substances.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.