Latest news with #PolicingAuthority
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Policing historic child abuse in schools a ‘major pull' on Garda resources
Investigating historic child sexual abuse in schools is likely to increase pressure on specialist Garda units, the Policing Authority has warned. In a letter sent to the Minister for Justice last March, the authority's chair, Dr Elaine Byrne, wrote that a scoping inquiry into historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders has already been a 'major pull' on the resources of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau. This pull, she said, 'seems likely to increase as investigations proceed'. Writing before the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the matter, approved by the Government in July, the Policing Authority told Jim O'Callaghan that this too could 'potentially increase the resource impact on the Garda Síochána regarding retrospective cases'. The Garda was praised for its work on historical sexual abuse cases in the letter. 'It is imperative that these victims, no less than victims who are still children, receive a sensitive response from expert officers in a timely manner.' READ MORE Policing Authority chair Elaine Byrne warned that a scoping inquiry into historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders, which reported last year, has already been a 'major pull' on the resources of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins Photos Ms Byrne also warned that staffing levels among specialist gardaí investigating online child exploitation are 'critically low', with staffing issues at the online child exploitation unit (OnCE) hampering its ability to process child abuse referrals from the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. 'The effect of these is visible in decreases in child pornography offences, due to the impact on the ability of the OnCE to process child abuse referrals from the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, and refer them for investigation.' The authority, which was earlier this year subsumed into the new Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA), had been asked to monitor Garda actions in implementing recommendations from a Garda Inspectorate report on responding to child sexual abuse. [ Sex abuse in schools: State accused of ignoring its liability for redress Opens in new window ] Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy said the letter raised 'a number of serious concerns' and that he was 'particularly concerned' about the staffing issues in the online unit. He said it was 'not surprising' that staff shortages were affecting specialist units given ongoing recruitment and retention issues in the force. The authority also told Mr O'Callaghan about a 'worrying' hold-up in implementation of a 2023 data-sharing agreement between the Garda and Tusla , the child and family agency, due to 'bottlenecks'. Ms Byrne told the Fianna Fáil TD: 'Disappointingly ... the agreement remains to be implemented.' She said data-sharing practices were 'crucial' to ensuring child sexual abuse investigations are timely and effective. It also flagged areas of positive progress, including improvements in the governance of child-protection notifications exchanged with Tusla; the training of joint specialist interviewers; and the increasingly collaborative working on child protection. It said it was pleased additional technology has been made available, which reduces the number of images members of the child sexual exploitation investigation team have to view as part of their work. The Department of Justice referred queries on data sharing and resourcing to the Garda, which did not respond to questions before publication. A spokesman for the PCSA said it was told in March that the data-sharing agreement with Tusla was 'imminent'.
Irish Times
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Garda recruitment unlikely to hit targets, Policing Authority warned Minister for Justice
It is 'highly unlikely' Garda numbers will hit the levels pledged by the Coalition earlier this year under recruitment policies, the Policing Authority warned earlier this year. The stark message is contained in correspondence from the body's chairwoman to Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan sent in March. It outlines that with retirements projected to 'significantly increase' in the coming decade, the programme for government commitment to recruit at least 5,000 gardaí by 2029 is endangered. The letter, released under Freedom of Information laws, also warns that gardaí are managing complex and serious investigations while 'relying primarily on manual spreadsheets or paper-based systems'. READ MORE Policing Authority chairwoman Elaine Byrne told Mr O'Callaghan that, 'in the absence of radical and meaningful reform' of recruitment, it is highly unlikely the target of at least 5,000 gardaí, as set out in the programme for government, will be met. She wrote that it was similarly 'unlikely' that recruitment pipelines will result in sufficient new members 'to meet the natural attrition and current or increased demand'. It is among a litany of issues outlined by the Policing Authority, which was subsumed along with the Garda Síochána Inspectorate into the new Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA) in April. Ms Byrne wrote that workforce recruitment, the sufficiency of budgeting and investment in the force were 'fundamental and now urgent challenges'. She outlined a 'pressing need' for continued and enhanced investment in technology for the Garda, including priorities in finance and human resource management, despite improvements in recent years. 'It cannot be the case that the Garda Síochána continues to manage complex and serious investigations, an organisation of 18,000 people, and a budget of €2.48 billion relying primarily on manual spreadsheets or paper-based systems.' Labour Party justice spokesman Alan Kelly said the correspondence was 'extraordinary' and suggested Government recruitment plans 'are basically impossible'. Mr Kelly said the letter was a 'slap in the face to Government, to the Minister for Justice, telling him the direction they're going in is not sufficient and is not going to work'. In the annual letter, which is sent advising the likely financial requirements of the Garda, Ms Byrne also outlined 'structural weaknesses' in budgeting arrangements for the force, leading to bailouts to meet the cost of paying for overtime. Annual overtime budgets as initially allocated are 'insufficient to run the organisation', she said. This is 'known to be insufficient' at the start of every year, she added, outlining that the 2025 budget was for €150 million, but the bill came to €200 million last year. A PCSA spokesman said it noted concerns raised by the Policing Authority and that Garda numbers and workforce modernisation 'continue to be key challenges for An Garda Síochána [and] ... will be matters that the PCSA keeps under close review.' In response, a Department of Justice spokesman said the Minister 'intends to deliver on the programme for government commitment to increase recruitment'. He said the overall Garda workforce is higher than ever and that increased training allowances, a higher maximum entry age and retirement age have been introduced to boost recruitment and retention. A dedicated group has been established to examine the issue, which is due to report in the coming weeks. A Garda recruitment campaign ran earlier this year and will be followed by a second one later in the year. Some 370 trainees entered Templemore in March and June this year, said the spokesman. 'The Minister acknowledges the vital role of the Policing and Community Safety Authority ... as the statutory agency responsible for the oversight of An Garda Síochána, and welcomes the efforts of that organisation to support greater recruitment to and continuous improvement of policing services in Ireland.'
Sunday World
03-08-2025
- Sunday World
Extreme online porn is ‘radicalising' young men into sexual violence, Garda Commissioner says
'We see this manifest in serious sexual assaults where, literally, it has to be explained to them what they did was wrong' Extreme online pornography is 'radicalising' some young men into normalising violence against women, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said. Mr Harris said in some cases gardaí have had to explain to perpetrators of violent sexual assaults why what they did was wrong. Mr Harris will step down as commissioner in September after seven years in the post. On Thursday, he addressed his final meeting of the Policing Authority. Speaking to the media afterwards he explained his concerns about the prevalence of online pornography. He said: 'I think the use of the expression hard-core is no longer relevant. 'The pornography which is readily accessible on the internet is extreme in the violence that it perpetrates, mostly against women. 'What happens then is that young men see this and this is a major influence on them in terms of what they think a sexual relationship is. 'We see this manifest in serious sexual assaults where, literally, it has to be explained to them what they did was wrong. 'Because seeing this violent behaviour has become so normalised.' He added: 'There is a trend in the violent behaviour of the offending which you can relate back to the imagery which is in pornography, which is so prevalent on the internet. 'That has been also observed by the various studies, Women's Aid recently released a report and that was their conclusion as well. 'My analysis of this is probably more anecdotal. 'As I look at the incidents and what is described, but also what the responses of the various assailants, perpetrators are, one can see that they have become normalised to the violence that they are seeing online.' Mr Harris said some men's view of a normal sexual relationship had become 'completely distorted'. He added: 'You can say almost that they have been radicalised. 'I do think there is an education piece for this. We have heard a lot over the last few weeks about limiting the access of children to all sorts of violent imagery, I think that's a good thing. 'It has to be faced up as well that there is a multibillion industry behind this that we are not going to defeat by attacking it, what we have to do is make sure people are educated and understand what a proper relationship is.' The commissioner said: 'What I am saying is one can see the trend, it is backed up by academic research. 'We can see the trend ourselves and it is evident then when we consider some of the crimes that come through our courts in recent years.' News in 90 Seconds - Sunday, August 3rd
Irish Daily Mirror
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Extreme online pornography is 'radicalising' young men, Garda boss insists
Extreme online pornography is "radicalising" some young men into normalising violence against women, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said. Mr Harris said in some cases gardai have had to explain to perpetrators of violent sexual assaults why what they did was wrong. Mr Harris will step down as commissioner in September after seven years in the post. On Thursday, he addressed his final meeting of the Policing Authority. 31.07.2025. . Photo Shows : Outgoing Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Policing &Community Safety Authority (PCSA) speaking to the media ahead of his retirement and last meeting at the PCSA this afternoon. Photo:Sam Boal/Collins Photos. Speaking to the media afterwards he explained his concerns about the prevalence of online pornography. He said: "I think the use of the expression hard-core is no longer relevant. "The pornography which is readily accessible on the internet is extreme in the violence that it perpetrates, mostly against women. "What happens then is that young men see this and this is a major influence on them in terms of what they think a sexual relationship is. "We see this manifest in serious sexual assaults where, literally, it has to be explained to them what they did was wrong. "Because seeing this violent behaviour has become so normalised." The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week He added: "There is a trend in the violent behaviour of the offending which you can relate back to the imagery which is in pornography, which is so prevalent on the internet. "That has been also observed by the various studies, Women's Aid recently released a report and that was their conclusion as well. "My analysis of this is probably more anecdotal. "As I look at the incidents and what is described, but also what the responses of the various assailants, perpetrators are, one can see that they have become normalised to the violence that they are seeing online." Mr Harris said some men's view of a normal sexual relationship had become "completely distorted". He added: "You can say almost that they have been radicalised. "I do think there is an education piece for this. We have heard a lot over the last few weeks about limiting the access of children to all sorts of violent imagery, I think that's a good thing. "It has to be faced up as well that there is a multibillion industry behind this that we are not going to defeat by attacking it, what we have to do is make sure people are educated and understand what a proper relationship is." The commissioner said: "What I am saying is one can see the trend, it is backed up by academic research. "We can see the trend ourselves and it is evident then when we consider some of the crimes that come through our courts in recent years." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
BreakingNews.ie
31-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Extreme online pornography is ‘radicalising' young men, Garda Commissioner says
Extreme online pornography is 'radicalising' some young men into normalising violence against women, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said. Mr Harris said in some cases gardaí have had to explain to perpetrators of violent sexual assaults why what they did was wrong. Advertisement Mr Harris will step down as Commissioner in September after seven years in the post. On Thursday, he addressed his final meeting of the Policing Authority. Speaking to the media afterwards he explained his concerns about the prevalence of online pornography. He said: 'I think the use of the expression hard-core is no longer relevant. Advertisement 'The pornography which is readily accessible on the internet is extreme in the violence that it perpetrates, mostly against women. 'What happens then is that young men see this and this is a major influence on them in terms of what they think a sexual relationship is. 'We see this manifest in serious sexual assaults where, literally, it has to be explained to them what they did was wrong. 'Because seeing this violent behaviour has become so normalised.' Advertisement He added: 'There is a trend in the violent behaviour of the offending which you can relate back to the imagery which is in pornography, which is so prevalent on the internet. 'That has been also observed by the various studies, Women's Aid recently released a report and that was their conclusion as well. 'My analysis of this is probably more anecdotal. 'As I look at the incidents and what is described, but also what the responses of the various assailants, perpetrators are, one can see that they have become normalised to the violence that they are seeing online.' Advertisement Mr Harris said some men's view of a normal sexual relationship had become 'completely distorted'. He added: 'You can say almost that they have been radicalised. 'I do think there is an education piece for this. We have heard a lot over the last few weeks about limiting the access of children to all sorts of violent imagery, I think that's a good thing. Ireland 'Shocking' report reveals some gardaí are 'openly... Read More 'It has to be faced up as well that there is a multibillion industry behind this that we are not going to defeat by attacking it, what we have to do is make sure people are educated and understand what a proper relationship is.' Advertisement The Commissioner said: 'What I am saying is one can see the trend, it is backed up by academic research. 'We can see the trend ourselves and it is evident then when we consider some of the crimes that come through our courts in recent years.'
