ICCL voices fresh concern about electronic tagging plan

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has voiced fresh concerns about the Government's plans to introduce electronic tagging as part of a new anti-crime package.

The measure is included in legislation due to be put before the cabinet today by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell.

The minister wants electronic tagging introduced for people convicted of certain minor offences.

However, ICCl director Aisling Reidy said there was no real need to introduce such a sweeping measure.

"Electronic tagging has no rationale and is a political gimmick not really aimed at either crime reduction or reduction of reoffending," she said.

"We'd have great concerns about simply opening and further widening the criminal net to include people who normally wouldn't have served a custodial sentence anyhow."