[Oireachtas] Dáil Éireann debate. Question 581 - An Garda Síochána [Cyber crime] [73750/25]. (18 Dec 2025)
External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025...
581. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of cases dealt with by the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the top ten categories of offences addressed by the Bureau; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73750/25]
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime. The 2026 allocation provides a budget of over €2.59 billion to An Garda Síochána. This is a 33% increase since 2021. This unprecedented budget will strengthen the work of specialist units such as the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB).
The GNCCB is tasked with the forensic examination of digital devices that have been seized during the course of any criminal investigations. These include incidents of cyber-crime, online harassment, computer intrusions, child exploitation offences, murder and any other criminal investigation in which digital devices are seized or may contain evidential data. This may include devices belonging to both suspects and witnesses.
The table below provides for the total number of new applications for cases created at GNCCB and the number of cases closed each year by the Bureau as follows:
|
Year |
Cases Created |
Cases Closed |
|
2020 |
400 |
350 |
|
2021 |
501 |
381 |
|
2022 |
511 |
633 |
|
2023 |
380 |
630 |
|
2024 |
626 |
754 |
|
2025 (YTD) |
607 |
569 |
To note, cases closed in one year may have been created in a previous year.
The Table below provides for an overview of the top ten categories of offences relating to the cases created above as follows:
|
Number |
Incident Type |
|
1 |
Child Sexual Exploitation Material |
|
2 |
Theft and Fraud Offences |
|
3 |
Child Exploitation/Grooming |
|
4 |
Harassment |
|
5 |
Murder - Suspect |
|
6 |
Sexual Assault Rape |
|
7 |
Drug Offences |
|
8 |
Terrorism |
|
9 |
Unauthorised Access |
|
10 |
Human Trafficking |
MM-MO Crime and law > Organised crime
MM-MO Crime and law > Crime deterrence
MM-MO Crime and law > Justice system > Justice / enforcement agency > Police (Garda)
N Communication, information and education > Communication > Online communication / social media
N Communication, information and education > Digital technology
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland
Repository Staff Only: item control page