Dr. T.J. McIntyre:

The two go hand in hand. Mr. Lupton has provided a list of legislation that is defective in some ways. The problem is that in some respects we are not enforcing the core parts of the legislation because of resourcing and training issues. I include in my written statement a reference to some cases in which there have been delays of up to six years in the cybercrime bureau prosecuting child abuse image cases because it simply has not had the ability to forensically examine laptops or hard drives in that time. As a result, cases have been dismissed and offenders have received suspended sentences, rather than sentences of imprisonment. That resourcing issue will be a problem no matter what the Oireachtas does. There is a role for the Government in properly resourcing investigation and enforcement.