Statement from An Garda Síochána re Garda Síochána Inspectorate Report

The Garda Síochána Inspectorate’s latest report is a detailed document addressing the very important issue of responding to child sexual abuse.  

Like all Inspectorate reports to date, it contains valuable and useful proposals based in part on input from An Garda Síochána that will help us improve our service in preventing and detecting child sexual abuse.  

An Garda Síochána is committed to tackling the issue of child sexual abuse in a comprehensive and effective manner.   An Garda Síochána will work closely with the Inspectorate and all other stakeholders to improve our processes, systems and practices as quickly as possible.   An Garda Síochána has already implemented a number of measures in this area.  

An Garda Síochána’s Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021 places victims and particularly child victims and other vulnerable people at the heart of the policing service. As part of this, 28 Victim Service Offices have been established throughout the country and this has helped improve the service we provide to victims.  

In addition, since the Garda Síochána Inspectorate issued its report titled Responding to Child Sexual Abuse in 2012, An Garda Síochána has created the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB).  

The Garda National Protective Services Bureau is made-up of staff specially trained in the investigation of crimes against vulnerable people including victims of child sexual abuse. The Bureau is responsible for ensuring that each and every complaint of child sexual abuse – along with other crimes against vulnerable people – is thoroughly investigated and handled correctly.  

Within the GNPSB, particular units that focus on child victims of criminal activity have been created including a National Child Protection Unit (NCPU), an Online Victim Identification Unit (OVIU) and an Online Child Exploitation Investigation unit (OCEU).  

These initiatives provide the mechanism for An Garda Síochána to implement recommendations made in the Garda Inspectorate report published today and also those recommendations made in the earlier report of 2012, which have yet to be fully implemented. Our enhanced capacity, in this regard, is acknowledged by the Inspectorate.  

The Bureau is also currently in the process of rolling out Protective Services Units (PSUs) in each of its divisions to ensure a consistent approach to the investigation of sexual crime and domestic abuse at a local level.  

The Garda Síochána Inspectorate refer to the fact that implementation of the recommendations in its seventh report, as indeed is the case regarding recommendations made in the earlier report of 2012, does not rest solely with An Garda Síochána.  

In this regard, An Garda Síochána recognises the importance of ensuring a collaborative approach with other relevant stakeholders and in particular with Tusla – the Child Protection Agency. 

Participation by An Garda Síochána, the HSE and Tusla in a National Child Safeguarding Strategic Liaison Committee provides an opportunity for the relevant State agencies to collaborate for the purpose of implementing particular recommendations made by the Inspectorate.  

Another important initiative in this regard is the locating of the National Child Protection Unit (NCPU) within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) to which Tusla has recently seconded a senior Social Worker.