Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1071.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if, as part of the implementation of Coco’s Law, all Gardaí have been trained in the new law; the training that took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[34142/24]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1072.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of specialist Garda officers trained as part of Coco’s Law; where these Gardaí are based; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[34143/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1072 together.

I am acutely aware of the impact any kind of harassment can have on a victim, and that harassment can take different forms and have different levels of severity. That is why enacting the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 – or ‘Coco’s Law’, named after Nicole ‘Coco’ Fox – was a priority for me.

Coco's Law not only introduced new offences but also broadened existing harassment offences and introduced stricter penalties for them.

The Act created new offences of sending, distributing, or publishing a threatening or grossly offensive message by any means of communication with intent to cause harm to the victim, which means the legislation now covers once-off communications as well as sustained harassment.

It has also criminalised the sharing of intimate images of another person without their consent, regardless of the motivation for doing so, and has introduced an offence of threatening to share such images.

As the Deputy will appreciate, training is an operational matter for the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána but I have been informed that Coco's Law is included in one of the courses studied for the BA in Applied Policing, which all trainee Gardaí undertake.

In addition to that course, participants on the Senior Investigation Officers Programme, Detective Sergeant Course and Detective Garda Programme also receive a Human Rights presentation where the introduction of ‘Coco’s Law’ and other victim-led legislation is discussed in a comparative manner to the impact of Criminal Appeal Court & ECHR rulings on AGS practices, policies and procedures.

An Garda Síochána have further advised that, since April 2021, the Garda College has worked extensively with the Garda National Protective Service Bureau to deliver important eLearning on domestic violence/coercive control prevention and investigative training. This training specifically included awareness of the use of digital and online platforms by suspected offenders to harass and coerce vulnerable people and is mandatory for all sworn members of An Garda Síochána, reserve Gardaí and other relevant sections including some unsworn Garda Staff. Additional training was also delivered on the use of a ‘Risk Evaluation Tool’ by Garda members when assessing the risks and vulnerabilities of victims to ensure they receive the service and supports they need. As of August 2024, more than 90pc of An Garda Síochána, amounting to 13,370 personnel of various ranks and grades, have completed this training.

The Garda College in consultation with Garda Commissioner and Policing Authority has also ensured that the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, 2020 is integrated into the promotion examination syllabi for all Garda members intending to be promoted to the ranks Sergeants and Inspectors and Ms. Jackie Fox, mother of ‘Coco’, has also addressed several forums involving An Garda Síochána personnel on the importance of this issue and legislation.

I am further informed that the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provide extensive information, guidance and advice to all Garda personnel conducting investigations under ‘Coco’s law’, this includes best practice guidance on conducting searches involving technology and the seizure of digital and computer-based evidence.

As the Deputy will be aware, the national roll out of Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs) has been complete since September of 2020. This means specially trained officers are available nationwide to engage with and interview victims of certain crimes, including domestic, sexual and gender-based violence crimes. This specialisation ensures that when victims of domestic and sexual violence present to Gardaí – at perhaps their most vulnerable moment – they are met with professional and expert assistance and there are approximately 350 garda members assigned to DPSUs across the country.

The Deputy may be interested to know that An Garda Síochána has partnered with Hotline.ie to create an online reporting facility that enables victims of Intimate Image Abuse (IIA) to report this type of criminal activity to Gardaí, via the Hotline.ie website, while simultaneously making a IIA content removal request to Hotline.ie. It is important to say that any person who is a victim of this criminal activity can also make a report directly to their local Garda station where it will be fully investigated.