Gardai have said there is no evidence to substantiate reports of a paedophile network operating in Dundalk but have confirmed that a unit of detectives is looking at a list of car registrations given to it by youth workers who allege men are paying young people for sexual acts.
In August 1996, The Irish Times reported that gardai had begun an investigation into claims that teenagers were involved in prostitution.
The Garda operation resulted in one man being successfully prosecuted for soliciting a juvenile male for the purposes of prostitution.
But he later won his appeal to the Circuit Court, which ruled that the evidence against him was circumstantial.
Garda Supt Michael Staunton said "some people say the dogs on the street know what is going on but dogs on the street do not get into court.
"Throwaway statements like that are no good to us and one phone call when this is happening is worth 10 calls to us two days later."
He confirmed that a list of car registrations was supplied to him and gardai want such information from the public.
"I always treat with confidence any information I receive. I will confirm we received it and are investigating it.
"The gardai have no desire at all to sweep anything under the carpet or deny if a problem exists, but our investigations have failed to identify a problem of the magnitude suggested. If there is I want to identify it, stop it and bring these people to court.
"A town of this size and population is bound to have a problem of some degree where there are young people out of control, at large and sexually active but when you start talking about paedophile rings it is a different league altogether. If people have evidence why are they not telling us? Who are they protecting and why do they not give it to the gardai?'
As a result of the article in this newspaper two years ago a project aimed at helping teenagers at risk from abuse, including sexual exploitation, has been funded by the North Eastern Health Board and the Peace and Reconciliation Fund. It will open its doors in two months.
Youth Initiative Partnership will serve young people up to 22 years of age from the greater Dundalk area. Its manager, Ms Rosie Toner, says: "My first and only concern is the children, trying to access them and make services for them, and those most vulnerable will be targeted. We will provide counselling, advice, information and support, whatever it is they need and there will be a walk-in service where they can come without an appointment and talk to a member of staff and referred to the most appropriate service."
She believes the sexual exploitation of young people is organised, "but my information is based on what young people are telling me and because of the clandestine nature of the situation, it is hard to be very specific . . . if I refer a young person to a social worker the information automatically goes to the gardai. There is good work being done in Dundalk to address the problem and there is a failure to recognise work done with young people which leads to representing young people as culprits when they are victims."
The chairman of Dundalk UDC, Mr Seamus Byrne, spoke at a UDC meeting last week about reports that the town was the geographical centre for paedophiles. "I was alarmed at this and it being described as a town of shame. Nobody is saying that nothing is happening but I am refuting wild claims that Dundalk is such a centre. Dundalk is no different than any other town of a similar size."