On Wednesday 20th November, Mary Ryan rsm and Denise Boyle fmdm, met with the Executive Council of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) at the Ardilaun Hotel in Galway. We gave a presentation on our Campaign (Mercy-End child Prostitution and Trafficking in the Hospitality Sector) and then had a good discussion, during which we clarified some important issues about the ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking) Code of Conduct, which we are inviting the IHF members to sign. The hotels which sign the Code, are publicly stating their commitment to safeguarding children on their premises, especially from any form of sexual exploitation.

The outcome of our meeting was that Michael Vaughan, President of the IHF pledged full support for the MECPATH Campaign. Further he advised that he will send out a letter to all their members in Ireland, alerting them to the importance of getting involved with the Campaign and requesting that they meet with members of the MECPATH Team when contacted by them for a meeting.

Mary and Denise were pleased that some of the hoteliers present volunteered to assist them draw up a ‘template’ for use when members of the Campaign Team meet with individual hoteliers around the country. We also discussed the plan to hold a ‘Training for Trainers’ session which we plan to run in early March, for hoteliers plus a member of their human resources team, who in turn will train their hotel staff about implementing the ECPAT Code of Conduct.

Personnel from the Anti-human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Ministry of Justice and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) will provide the training, in conjunction with some members of the MECPATH Team. This is an essential element of the MECPATH Code, designed to ensure that key hotel personnel will receive the training they need, to recognise situations where children may be vulnerable and to learn how to deal with such situations when they arise.

Mary Ryan rsm and Denise Boyle fmdm
Congregation