Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 February 2005
107 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals for the electronic tagging of certain offences; the research his Department has done to establish the effectiveness of such a procedure; if his attention has been drawn to a report of the system in Canada that found that the electronic monitoring had no effect on recidivism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4925/05]
View answer222 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the role which electronic tagging may have to play in monitoring persons on the register of sex offenders who are deemed to be at high risk of re-offending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5237/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 222 together.
The use of electronic tagging systems to monitor offenders in other jurisdictions is an issue which my Department has kept under review for some time. My Department has looked at the experience of a number of countries in the operation of these systems. These include the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Sweden and Australia. In addition, my Department is aware of the experience in Canada as outlined in the report referred to by the Deputy. As I have explained in my previous replies to the House on this matter, difficulties have been encountered in other jurisdictions in developing fully effective electronic tagging systems, but recent developments in technology may provide solutions to these. These developments are now being considered by my Department, in consultation with the prison and probation and welfare services, with a view to drawing up an enabling provision in the Criminal Justice Bill which will allow me to introduce electronic tagging in appropriate cases when the technology has advanced sufficiently. Details of the provision will be announced in the normal way. I can say at this stage that it will address the use of electronic monitoring as an alternative to custody in certain circumstances as well as the monitoring of suitable offenders released from prison before completion of their full sentences.
