Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is to meet interim Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan to discuss the Garda's handling of serious criminal cases involving images of child sex abuse and press the need to investigate such cases with urgency.
Long delays have occurred in investigating suspects on whose computers images of child sex abuse have been found because of the backlog in technically examining the computers to the standard required to ground a prosecution.
“In more than any other area, when it comes to the shocking abuse of children that child pornography represents, I will be insistent that we come up with strategies to overcome those obstacles,” Ms Fitzgerald told the Dáil today when confirming she had requested a meeting with Ms O’Sullivan on the issue.
At the weekend, reports emerged that at least one case involving images of child sex abuse on a computer had been struck out because a judge decided a delay of several years in analysing the accused’s computer was disproportionate and damaged the integrity of the prosecution.
The embarrassing revelations were raised in the Dáil this afternoon by Sinn Féin’s justice spokesman Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, who questioned Ms Fitzgerald on whether the Garda’s Computer Crime Investigation Unit (CCIU) should be allocated additional resources.
He suggested this may be needed so that serious cases with the analysis of a computer at their core - such as suspected paedophiles viewing and storing child pornography - would face the full rigours of the law.
Ms Fitzgerald said she had in recent days requested a report from Ms O’Sullivan on the CCIU and its role in investigating cases involving images of child sex abuse. She added she had received that report earlier today.
Ms Fitzgerald further told the Dáil that last year a review of the unit’s processes was undertaken with a view to making faster the examination by Garda experts of computers believed to contain images of child sexual abuse.
As a result of that review and following consultations with the Director of Public Prosecutions and senior counsel, new operating guidelines were introduced for the CCIU last October.
“The guidelines seek to ensure that relevant procedures are as efficient as possible, consistent with what is required to support effective prosecutions,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
“I am further advised that all examinations of suspect media are now conducted according to these guidelines.”
She added the area of internet and computer crime, particularly because of its transnational dimension, poses significant challenges for police forces, including how resources should be deployed.
She revealed another review of the CCIU has been ordered by Ms O’Sullivan along with the strategic realignment of the unit’s capacity to deal with crimes that necessitate the examination of a computer.
The Garda review would involve consultation with security services internationally.
However, despite that action by Ms O’Sullivan, and following on from her reviewing the Garda report on the delays, Ms Fitzgerald said the issue warranted direct action on her part.
“I intend to meet with the acting Commissioner to discuss the issues involved and, in particular, the need to ensure that child pornography cases are pursued rigorously and quickly.”
