Information needs to be gathered from other jurisdictions, as well as our own, concerning the number of sex offenders in the country and their whereabouts. I understand the Bill cannot deal with retrospective issues, but there is a need for those who will end up operating it to have a bank of knowledge on the whereabouts of sex offenders here. In particular, they will require information on the whereabouts of sex offenders who have travelled to this jurisdiction from other areas.
Without mentioning names, some time ago in Kilkenny a case arose concerning a sex offender who was known to the UK authorities and who travelled to Ireland. He committed the same offence in one county before moving to Kilkenny where he reoffended. As soon as he was identified he moved quickly from the Kilkenny area to another part of the country. Such a case demonstrates the essential need for establishing an historic database before we can implement this legislation. Perhaps the Garda Síochána could build up such a list and begin to identify these people's whereabouts. By interacting with agencies in other jurisdictions they could establish if any sex offenders have travelled here and remain here currently.
The Bill refers to the responsibility of health boards and an increasing number of Bills before the House seek to place new responsibilities on health board officials. Perhaps it is now time for the Department of Health and Children to be aware of all these responsibilities and to begin to take stock of the type of qualified people they have to deal with the new issues and responsibilities that are emerging. There is a need to employ the skills of existing officials and provide them with an opportunity to understand the wide-ranging responsibilities they will have when the Bill is enacted. They are being asked to play a significant role in the operation of certain aspects of the legislation, just as much as gardaí are being asked to be aware of the whereabouts of these sex offenders. They will need to know what they are dealing with.
It is a commonly held view that people involved in these type of offences will continue to re-offend. Their mind-set leads them to avoid whatever regulations are established to control the system. It will take some time for health boards and the Garda Síochána to trace sex offenders and insist on their co-operation in this regard. All sorts of rules and regulations will be broken, so more investment is needed for increased staffing levels as well as using the skills of staff who are currently in place.
The previous case in Kilkenny city highlighted the type of support needed by a family when one of their members is abused. That support is not forthcoming from the health boards as readily as it should be. Such families receive some support but they have to fight for it. If they are outside the medical card scheme they may have to raise the matter with their public representatives. Non-medical card holders should not face such barriers. When something like this occurs the entire family unit is affected, and in that case it fell asunder. Support must be forthcoming immediately through an action plan to deal with the issue, but that will take some forward thinking and planning. Where such a case is identified, health boards and other State agencies should move quickly and effectively to deal with it. The family I referred to had to fight for every bit of support it received and as a result lost confidence in the services available.
The family of missing woman, Jo Jo Dullard, did not receive any support or counselling. I am not saying that it is the Minister's responsibility but there would seem to be pressure on the health boards as regards delivering such services.
I am concerned about the provisions of Part IV under which the sex offender must make his offence known when seeking employment which would bring him into contact with children in an unsupervised capacity. That section of the Bill should be re-examined. Psychological reports from professionals in this field clearly state that sex offenders will re-offend. If that is the medical evidence, we should not allow a sex offender to come into contact with children without supervision, thus putting him in a position where he may re-offend. We will have to tease out that part of the legislation on Committee Stage.
We should also look at Section 21 which provides for a maximum penalty of £1,500 and or 12 months imprisonment on summary conviction, and for a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. The prison terms should be extended along with the financial penalties.
I agree with post-release supervision of sex offenders and that their movements and work patterns should be restricted. On the other hand, we should also examine how we can deliver some sort of service to sex offenders that may help them to understand the nature of their crimes. They should be offered assistance and direction to remove them from that category and ensure they are put on the right road. That all-encompassing work should be done through State agencies.
I welcome the Bill and commend the Minister. It is no harm to note just how many times the Minister has been involved in effectively, constructively and efficiently putting legislation through the House this week. Both the Minister and his officials must be working around the clock. I commend them on the work being done by the Government.