According to statistics released today, over 300 cases of online child abuse were confirmed by a website used to report illegal content being posted and shared on the internet.
Alarmingly, 5,000 complaints were made last year to Hotline.ie, a website that allows internet users to anonymously report suspected illegal content.
Hotline.ie is said to have received 4,863 complaints in 2014, which is almost double the amount received the previous year. Furthermore, 335 of those complaints were confirmed as cases of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
Paul Durrant, Chief Executive of the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland, assured concerned parents that the organisation is working with authorities to get to the bottom of the reported cases.
“Every case that is illegal is notified to the Gardaí, so they can try to find the perpetrators,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said that those caught sharing or producing this illegal material will face the full force of the legal system.
“Sharing it in this way is a crime, an illegal activity, and the internet service providers and the Gardaí need to be informed,” said Minister Fitzgerald.
