A former garda sergeant has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to making repeated attempts to procure children for sex.
The incidents occurred a year after he was released from prison for a similar offence.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard that 48-year-old Kieran O’Halloran, of Liffey Court, Clane, Co Kildare, offered €10,000 to a prostitute if she could find a child as young as five or six.
O’Halloran was arrested after the woman became concerned about his requests and alerted gardaí.
The court heard that he was previously jailed for two years in 2003 for a similar offence and was ordered to undergo 20 years post-release supervision but re-offended after his release.
Gardaí told the court that O'Halloran visited brothels in Dublin and on separate occasions offered to pay €1,000 for an eight- or nine-year-old girl to have sex.
He wanted one or several children to be brought to a hotel room and at one stage asked the women what was the youngest age they could get.
The court heard he had received treatment in the Granada Institute and the treatment was ongoing.
O'Halloran has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 27 March.
