Gardaí demand units to tackle three-year backlog in searching devices for child abuse imagery

The Garda Representative Association’s central executive committee said garda management must ensure they are fully resourced and trained to target all forms of online crime, including having an online child exploitation unit in each garda division. File picture: RollingNews.ie

Gardaí are demanding the creation of dedicated child exploitation units to combat increasing reports of sexual abuse of minors and to tackle a three-year backlog of digital devices yet to be examined for sexual imagery.

Garda Damien McCarthy, a member of the Garda Representative Association’s (GRA) central executive committee, said garda management must ensure they are fully resourced and trained to target all forms of online crime, including having an online child exploitation unit in each garda division.