Sex offenders - Gardaí lack power over paedophiles

The fear of paedophile sex offenders loose in any community is a nightmare for parents of young children, and the admission before a joint Oireachtas committee yesterday by a senior member of the garda’s sexual assault unit that there are deficiencies in policing the problem will only add to the fears.

There are 971 people on the sex offenders’ register, which is almost three times the number in 2003. But gardaí are not using modern technology to keep track of them, and deficiencies in our laws are not making their task of protecting the public any easier.

It is absurd that gardaí should be trying to keep track of so many people merely on paper, without availing of the latest computer technology. Sex offenders are obliged to register regularly with the gardaí, but the law does not specify where, so an offender living in Cork can fulfil this legal obligation by registering in Cavan.