Delay to powers to monitor sexual offenders

Planned powers to enable gardai more closely monitor paedophiles in the community will now not be in place before the next general election.

The powers, which have been promised since 2008, are included as part of an early draft of a wide-ranging piece of legislation, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill.

However, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has now conceded the full details and text of that bill will not be published until sometime later this year. Publication is only the start of what can be a lengthy debate and amendment process before a bill is signed into law.