Foreword by ISPAI General Manager
It is with some degree of satisfaction that I can state that this year's Report
shows an apparent drop in the amount of illegal content that Irish users appear to be encountering on the Internet. I sincerely hope this is not an anomaly and that we will see this downward trend continue in future years. I am also delighted to be able to inform the Irish public that yet again, of the reports received by Hotline.ie where child pornographic content was confirmed, none of this material was found to have been hosted in or distributed from the Republic of Ireland.
Since 2003, when I took over the role of General Manager of the ISPAI, which includes responsibility for the Hotline.ie service, I was consistently dismayed by the year-on-year increase in content referred to in reports that proved to be illegal under the Irish child trafficking and pornography law.
From 2003 through 2007, I witnessed an approximate 48% year-on-year growth in Internet content reported to the Hotline which was determined to be illegal child sexual abuse material by our Analysts. As shown in the pages of this Report, 2008 was the first year since the Hotline was established where there has been a year-on-year decrease in illegal content and this decrease is very marked. However, there is no room for complacency as this still represents a level of reported illegal content that is higher than that experienced in 2006.
Foreword contd.
I must pay tribute to the tremendous and tough job which the Hotline Analysts carry out both in Hotline.ie and the other INHOPE hotlines around the world. Their efforts help to make the Internet a safer place for all, especially our children.
The work of hotlines only goes as far as forwarding technical details of the whereabouts of illegal content on to the various national police forces. It is they who follow up where possible, and undertake often lengthy and difficult investigations to apprehend the perpetrators. I therefore wish to thank An Garda Síochána for their support of Hotline.ie and their contribution in dealing with reports for countries where INHOPE does not have a presence.
I must also thank the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern, T.D., and the Office for Internet Safety (OIS) within his Department for their support of the hotline and the excellent work of the OIS in coordinating activities nationwide to promote safer Internet practices.
Paul Durrant
General Manager
Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland Ltd.
