Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too wish to raise the issue which emerged last week of the almost 8,000 criminal offences - 7,894 to be precise - committed by 3,489 child suspects between the years of 2010 and 2017 which were not progressed because of Garda inaction. There was a failure to progress 37 cases involving a particular child as well as 2,500 cases in which there were multiple offences. Some 55 of the offences identified were deemed to be of a serious nature, including a case of rape, another of sexual assault and another of child neglect. These are shocking revelations. It is scandalous that a person went to the Garda about a serious crime such as a rape or violent assault and nothing was done.

I do not doubt that there were systems failures which the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, must urgently address. Those responsible must be held to account. We must consider the chronic under-resourcing of the Garda and the consequences of its not having the tools to perform the functions expected of it. From the outside looking in, at least, the PULSE network appears antiquated and not fit for purpose.

Above all, it is very concerning that this might not be the end of the matter. The chairperson of the Policing Authority indicated that there might be additional issues, stating, "It must at least be an open question as to whether similar behaviours, and therefore similar lapsed cases and similar opportunities to reoffend, have occurred in relation to adult offenders." Is that the case?

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