Fr Eddie Gallagher case adjourned as police continue efforts to identify potential victims

A prosecutor has said it would be 'difficult to give a timescale' for police efforts to identify potential victims in the case of a a Catholic priest charged with sex offences.

Edward Gallagher (58) of Orchard Park in Lifford County Donegal had been charged with one count of attempted sexual communication with a child on dates between April 2 and April 17 2025 and 7 further offences including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch sexual activity on April 17 this year.

At today's hearing the court was told that the triage of devices had been completed and a large number of potential victims identified and attempts were ongoing to communicate with these people and 'find out who these people are'.

The court heard that 'obviously ' it was difficult to give any timescale for this exercise and added that the PSNI were working with other police forces on the case.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that while he appreciated the update such an exercise could 'potentially take a very long time'.

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He said the defence would need to be given a more 'detailed update as to what needs to be done and what is being done.'

Deputy District Judge Trevor Browne said the defence would need to be given 'some sort of structured outline'.

The case was adjourned until November 6 and Gallagher remains in custody.