A total of 26 Albanian nationals have tried to enter the country through Ringaskiddy Port in Cork in the last nine months.
The figures were released by the Department of Justice to Fianna Fáil’s Michael McGrath, after the
revealed this week that eight stowaways were found in a container at the ferry terminal after it arrived off a ship from Spain.Mr McGrath said the figures for the last nine months reveal a “troubling pattern” and raise questions about possible human trafficking.
“I think it points to a troubling pattern here, given the number involved, and I think it’s clearly a failing on the Spanish side in relation to their security and their immigration controls.”
We could well be looking at criminality in terms of human trafficking here, so I think at a political level, the Irish Government need to take up this issue at a senior level with the Spanish authorities,” the Cork South Central TD told RTÉ News.
The eight recent stowaways were all Albanian nationals under the age of 24, including a 16-year-old.
They were found between pallets in a container on the back of a truck which had disembarked the ferry from Santander in northern Spain around 5pm last Monday.
It was the second time in four weeks that stowaways have been found using the same service.
Four were found in a container at Santander port earlier this month before the lorry boarded the vessel.
While the crossing takes more than 26 hours, it is understood the men could have been in the container for up to four days. There were signs they had access to food and water during the crossing. The container was soiled by excrement.
Gardaí and paramedics were alerted. All were in relatively good physical condition, but one was treated for mild dehydration.
The seven adults were taken into custody by garda immigration officers.
Four have since been deported, three remain in custody pending deportation, and the youth is in care pending further enquiries.
It is believed that garda immigration officers have travelled to Santander in recent months to discuss with their Spanish counterparts a range of security issues linked to the new route.