Irish Examiner View: Investigation constraints on sexual and domestic abuse are a worry

Garda units set up to investigate domestic abuse and sexual crimes are so overburdened that they are limited by what they can investigate

The revelation that specialist Garda units established to investigate domestic abuse and sexual crimes are so overburdened that they are limited by what they can investigate will send a shiver down the spine of many.

While official Garda sources highlight that more than 300 gardaí are now working on domestic violence cases, a more sobering analysis was highlighted at the annual Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors annual conference, where it emerged that Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs) are not responding to domestic abuse cases because they have so many sexual offence investigations to deal with.