Eighteen asylum-seeking teenagers in the care of the Health Service Executive have gone missing from care so far this year, according to the HSE's latest figures.

This figure is 12 per cent of the total number of asylum-seeking minors taken into care this year, 155.

There are a further 10 asylum-seeking minors missing from the care of the HSE who went missing in previous years.

All unaccompanied minors who seek asylum are placed in the care of the HSE. A spokesperson for the HSE said, "The suspicion is that many of these children who have absconded may have pre-planned this with persons unknown prior to entering the country. This is done with the objective of reuniting with their families, who have already arrived in the state, or with the intention of relocating to other European countries where their families are located."

According to a 2005 report by the HSE Eastern Region, obtained by Village under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, the HSE suspected some of the children who had gone missing from their care were being used for trafficking or prostitution.

The report said, "Research in other countries has identified a pattern of traffickers placing separated children in care until they are ready to move them on into illegal employment." It continued, "We cannot underestimate the vulnerability of this group in care."

The report said "substantial resources" were required "for the provision of appropriate placement to reduce the risk of young people going missing from the service" and that gardaí had expressed concern about the lack of staff in hostels when they had visited to investigate the cases of missing children.

The International Organisation for Migration has said it is aware of cases of separated children seeking asylum who have disappeared from care in Ireland and went on to be exploited sexually or for labour.

An internal HSE report from 2005, also obtained under the FOI act, said the country's main accommodation-provider for separated children (aged 12 to 16) seeking asylum was inadequate and did not provide sufficient care and protection for the children. It also said that not all staff were vetted by An Garda Síochána and that, on inspection days, staff did not know the location of children.

A spokesperson for the HSE said a group was currently reviewing services to unaccompanied minors, "with the aim of achieving efficient processes in the best interests of the children and young people concerned, consistent with relevant legislative and policy provisions". The group is due to complete its work by the end of the year.

Emma Browne and Colin Murphy

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