Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 April 2012
954 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to amend the Sex Offenders Act 2001 to ensure that more sex offenders are given post-release supervision orders on release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18007/12]
View answerThe Sex Offenders Act 2001 introduced a wide range of measures aimed at reducing the risk to the public from convicted sex offenders. Those measures include the notification system, also known as the sex offenders' register. The Act also provides for post-release supervision orders for sex offenders.
Section 28 of the Act obliges the court, at sentencing stage, to consider whether to impose a sentence involving post-release supervision. It sets out the criteria, including the need to protect the public from serious harm, the need to prevent the commission by the offender of further sexual offences and the need to rehabilitate the offender, to be considered by the court in this context. The question of whether a post-release supervision order is imposed is a matter for the court to decide taking into account the individual circumstances of the case and I have no plans to amend this aspect of the procedure. However I am considering measures to enhance the application of such orders and may bring forward legislative proposals in that regard.
