Advances in AI and technology mean children face 'more sinister forms of exploitation', say gardaí
Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis, who has responsibility for Organised and Serious Crime, told the Oireachtas Children's Committee that the force had identified 151 children worldwide who were suspected of being victims of online exploitation and harm last year. File photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos
Gardaí identified 16 children in Ireland suspected of being victims of online exploitation and harm last year, TDs and senators have been told.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis, who has responsibility for Organised and Serious Crime, told the Oireachtas Children's Committee that the force had identified 151 children worldwide.
The committee was joined by members of An Garda Síochána, An Comisiún na Méan and the Children's Ombudsman, as well as organisations which advocate for children online. Ms Willis told the committee that online platforms "offer benefits for learning, creativity, communication and social connection" but "present serious and evolving risks".
She said the "online threat landscape targeting children is growing in both scale and sophistication". It presents unprecedented challenges for law enforcement, she said, and risks now extend beyond traditional concerns such as online grooming, cyberbullying, and exposure to inappropriate content and now "encompass more sinister forms of exploitation, through social media and gaming platforms".
"Technology has increased the scale, speed and anonymity with which offenders can operate, often across jurisdictions, making prevention and enforcement more complex.
"During 2025, An Garda Síochána identified and safeguarded 151 children, 16 of whom were located in Ireland," she said.
Ms Willis was asked by senator Mike Kennelly about the process for dealing with children who require safeguarding. She said in the first instance, the child is removed from harm.
"The perpetrator might be here, but they might not be here, they might be somewhere else around the world and that's where, in the initial phases, police-to-police contact comes into play.
"If we need to bring that to a prosecution we may have to go through the formal route of mutual legal assistance requests to get the information in a method that can be produced as evidence within a court setting."
Ms Willis later told Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly there is "absolutely sufficient" legal powers for gardaí to deal with AI-generated child sex abuse imagery.
Niamh Hodnett, the online safety commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said children "can be exposed to inappropriate content through AI recommender systems or chatbots".
"Generative AI can be used to create child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate imagery. We share the public’s concerns about Grok and nudification apps. This impacts law enforcement as well as regulation. We are working closely with the European Commission to address compliance, and we are liaising with An Garda Síochána."
Timmy Hammersley, head of participation and rights education at the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, said its most recent school survey found 73% of young people believe social media companies need to be far more proactive in managing risks. He said 63% encounter extremist views online — compared with just 6% in offline settings.
"The contrast there is stark, and these are deeply concerning figures," he said.
Jane McGarrigle, national co-ordinator of Webwise, said children believe there is a need for stricter enforcement of age limits, particularly for under-13s; safety by design measures that prioritise their safety, protect their privacy and reduce harmful content, and better education for both young people and parents.
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