Details of sex offenders can be made public under new law

Wed, 10 Nov, 2021 - 02:00

Paul Hosford, Political Correspondent

Gardaí will be allowed to release details of sex offenders to the public, in certain circumstances, under new legislation.

The move will be possible under laws to strengthen the management and monitoring of sex offenders in the community, which have been published by Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

The Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021 includes a number of amendments to the sex offenders register notification requirements, as well as providing for electronic tagging and for a ban on convicted sex offenders engaging in certain forms of employment, including with children.

While bans on working with children or vulnerable people have been made by the courts in the past, the bill will now provide an explicit power for prohibition.

Alleviate concerns

Ms McEntee said the legislation will help to alleviate concerns about sex offenders in the community.

"I understand the concerns which communities can have about sex offenders and the protection of public safety and our citizens, and this legislation will help to alleviate those concerns," she said.

"For example, it introduces stricter notification requirements — meaning offenders will have to inform the gardaí of a change of address within three days instead of the current seven days.

"And the new law will also allow for electronic monitoring, as well as fingerprinting and photographing of the offender, where necessary, to confirm their identity.

"Explicitly prohibiting convicted sex offenders from working with children or vulnerable people is also hugely important in protecting people and strengthening how we manage sex offenders.

"I also want to reform the criminal justice system to make it more victim-centred, and this bill contains significant measures to help in that work."

The main features of the bill are:

To change the sex offenders register notification requirements for sex offenders, including a reduction of the notification period from seven to three days;
To explicitly provide for the court to prohibit a sex offender from working with children and vulnerable adults;
To provide powers to An Garda Síochána to take fingerprints, palm-prints, and photographs to confirm the identity of the person;
To create a legislative basis for the assessment and management of risk posed by sex offenders across teams involving probation officers, gardaí, and Tusla;
To allow An Garda Síochána to disclose information relating to persons on the sex offenders register, in extenuating circumstances, for example where there is a serious threat to public safety;
To allow for electronic monitoring of sex offenders to assist in ensuring an offender's compliance with a sex offender order or post-release supervision order.

The bill also places the current Sex Offenders Risk and Assessment and Management monitoring process for high-risk offenders on a statutory footing.

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