55 child victims of online abuse saved

FIFTY-five child victims of online sexual abuse in Ireland have been identified and safeguarded over the past 15 months as part of a major ongoing effort by cops to tackle the growing threat of online child exploitation.

- BY NICOLA DONNELLY

Gardai have identified 16 Irish child victims through GNCCB operations, along with 24 non-lrish victims abroad and 52 additional possible victims across the globe, according to figures released this week.

The Garda National Protective Services Bureau's Online Child Exploitation Unit identified a further 39 Irish victims in 2025 alone.

The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau and the GNPSB have led the investigations, working closely with Europol, Interpol and other international law enforcement agencies.

Since July 2024, the GNCCB's specialist Victim Identification Team has reviewed more than 30,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material extracted from devices seized during investigations.