A number of people have appeared before the courts following a Garda operation investigating the downloading of child pornography from the Internet.
A Garda spokeman refused to say how many people had been arrested or how many houses or business premises had been searched.
A statement said that officers from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit (DVSAIU) "carried out a number of searches yesterday as part of an ongoing intelligence-led investigation into the downloading of child pornography in the State code named 'Operation Iron'."
It said the searches were part of an investigation that has been going on for the last 14 months and has led to private residences and business premises being searched and computer equipment seized.
A number of people appeared before the courts following the forensic examination of computers, the statement added. "Investigators are still examining seized equipment and further prosecutions will follow."