Yesterday in the Dáil, Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson Martin Kenny TD, asked the Justice Minister Helen McEntee about the length of time the Gardaí are awaiting funding approval from government for their long-planned and long-awaited cybercrime units.

Six regional cyber-crime units have been planned since 2016, but only two pilot units are operating, under the direction of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB).

Deputy Kenny said:

“For 15 months this funding request has been pending. Sure there should be time line for funding for such a vital project.

“It seems that the GNCCB has a backlog of nearly 500 cases. We are hearing every day about children been groomed online, about scammers defrauding people out of thousand from their bank accounts but it seemed that DPER has no sense of urgency about funding the setting up these units and bringing the Garda Siochána into the 21^st century.”