Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 3

Written Answers. - Sexual Offences.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

475 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons convicted of sex offences; the number of these convictions involving paedophilia; the number of convicted paedophiles from the United Kingdom who are believed by gardaí to be residing here in respect of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9791/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

Statistics relating to the number of persons convicted of sexual offences by the Central Criminal Court are set out in the following table. Statistics are not available on the number of persons convicted of sexual offences by the Circuit Criminal courts or District courts and could be obtained only by the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time and resources. Furthermore statistics are not maintained in such a format as to readily provide the number of convictions where children were victims. The new IT system being developed for the Courts Service will enhance the collection of data in relation to these types of offences.

Number of persons convicted of Sexual Offences by the Central Criminal Court from November 1993 to July 1998

Period	Convictions
November 1993 to December 1995	60
January 1996 to July 1996	17
August 1996 to July 1997	45
August 1997 to July 1998	70

In relation to the activities of foreign paedophiles, I am informed by the Garda authorities that informal protocols exist between the Garda and police forces in other jurisdictions where they are aware of the movements of convicted child abusers. I am sure that the Deputy will appreciate that this kind of police information is of course highly confidential.

As the Deputy will be aware, a Bill is currently being prepared in my Department providing for the establishment of a sex offenders register. If it is feasible to extend the notification requirements to any sex offenders coming into this jurisdiction from abroad, then that too will be done. I anticipate that the register will be operational in the autumn.