Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 7

Written Answers. - Child Abuse Registers.

Dan Neville

Question:

33 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will, as a matter of urgency, introduce protocols for the maintenance of child abuse registers in Ireland in view of the reported documented cases of people with conviction for paedophilia in Britain surfacing here in Ireland as a result of the British register of abusers; and if he will agree clear procedures between Ireland and Britain to monitor convicted paedophiles to ensure that Ireland does not become a haven for convicted British child sex abusers. [17066/97]

John Perry

Question:

78 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will, as a matter of urgency, introduce protocols for the maintenance of child abuse registers in Ireland in view of the reported documented cases of people with conviction for paedophilia in Britain surfacing here in Ireland as a result of the British register of abusers; and if he will agree clear procedures between Ireland and Britain to monitor convicted paedophiles to ensure that Ireland does not become a haven for convicted British child sex abusers. [17060/97]

Liz McManus

Question:

89 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approach the British authorities with a view to compiling a joint register of paedophiles covering Britain and Ireland in view of the decision of Britain to introduce a register of paedophiles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17002/97]

Tony Killeen

Question:

229 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the protocols or agreements, if any, which are in place between British and Northern Ireland authorities and this country whereby he, or another statutory authority, is notified of the arrival of convicted child abusers in this State; the number of such notifications received in each of the years from 1994 to date in 1997; the procedures, if any, which have been adopted in his Department to inform local personnel at county level after such notification; if he has satisfied himself with the current arrangements; and the further plans, if any, he has to review existing arrangements. [16894/97]

Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Miss M. Wallace)

I propose to take Oral Questions Nos. 33, 78 and 89 and Written Question No. 229 together.

The Minister is, at present, preparing a discussion paper on sexual offences. The issues relevant to the introduction of a paedophile register and related matters will be dealt with comprehensively in this paper. The Minister hopes to publish the discussion paper towards the end of this year or at the beginning of 1998.

The Minister has been informed by the Garda authorities that informal protocols exist between the Garda and police forces in other jurisdictions with regard to the notification on arrival of convicted child abusers. This kind of police information is confidential and it would be inappropriate to share it with third parties. However, the Garda do liaise generally with the health boards as regards convicted child abusers.

In relation to the introduction of formal procedures to monitor the movement of convicted child abusers between this jurisdiction and others and the issue of joint access to information, the Minister will consider these matters further in the light of the issues arising from the forthcoming discussion paper.