Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for highlighting this extremely important issue and for highlighting it on an ongoing basis and for her work on this. We appreciate that. It is important. I was listening to the Deputy and thinking back to some of the debates we had in the previous Dáil. We are going to have to do more to empower An Garda Síochána with the technology it needs for this. The predators, exploiters and criminals, and I can think of many worse words which I am not allowed to use in this House, are using these technologies and are ahead of some of the things that we do. I visited the Garda in the Phoenix Park in relation to this and watched how gardaí are having to sift through the most horrific images for an extraordinarily long time. There is technology that can do that more quickly. We have decided to listen to the views of some who do not have to sift through that more than the gardaí who are on the front line.

I will absolutely follow up with the Minister, Deputy Foley, in the first instance, about the SERP report and the issues the Deputy has identified, and ask her to come back to the Deputy with a timeline. I assure Deputy Nolan that this Government is fully committed, as I know everyone in this Oireachtas is, to addressing sexual exploitation in all of its forms, most particularly child sexual exploitation and child trafficking. To tackle human trafficking, including the trafficking of children, the Government has supported the expansion of the border management unit. Around 200 members of the border management unit are based at Dublin Airport alone. To encourage victims to come forward and access supports, in November 2023, probably when the Deputy was having that previous engagement, the national action plan to prevent and combat trafficking was launched. Its key actions include a new national referral mechanism, making it easier for victims to come forward; new and widespread training for all those who may come into contact with victims; and ongoing development and training through NGOs targeting front-line staff in certain industries.

Sexual exploitation of children is an extremely serious offence. We have comprehensive legislation in place to deal with it but this is about making sure that we can robustly always quickly implement that legislation. It is something we have to give absolute attention to. We are fully committed to playing an active role in negotiations on new EU laws that will require online service providers to deal with child sexual abuse material and attempts to groom children on their platforms. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, played a leading role on this in the previous Government.

An Garda Síochána's online child exploitation unit is the national centre point of contact for receiving referrals in relation to child sexual exploitation or abuse material. Referrals are received from a number of sources, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Europol, Interpol, the FBI and the National Crime Agency. The role of this unit also includes the investigation and co-ordination of cases relating to possession, distribution and production of child sexual abuse material and any related sexual abuse and exploitation of children. They are also proactively investigating intelligence concerning paedophiles and their use of technology, including through the targeting of those suspected of the production, distribution and possession of child abuse images. There is a huge amount to do in this area. We will keep an absolute focus on it. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, and perhaps, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to further engage with the Deputy directly on it.

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