Dessie Ellis
Question:41. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to monitor sex offenders on an all-Ireland basis. [39764/13]
View answerWednesday, 25 September 2013
Questions (41)
Written answers
Under the Sex Offenders Act 2001, a convicted sex offender is required to notify his or her name and home address to the Garda Síochána within 7 days of becoming subject to the notification requirement. This notification period applies whether the person is resident in the State or was convicted of a relevant offence in another jurisdiction and subsequently enters the State. Furthermore, a person who is subject to the notification requirements of the Act who intends to leave the State for a continuous period of 7 days or more must notify the Gardaí of that intention and, if known, the address of the place outside the State where he or she intends to reside or stay. Return to the State must be notified within the same time frame. When the Garda authorities become aware that a convicted sex offender has left or is intending to leave the State, the Sex Offender Management and Intelligence Unit ensures that the relevant law enforcement agency in the country of destination is advised via Interpol.
In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Irish and British Governments on the sharing of information on sex offenders between An Garda Síochána and British police forces, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), is in place since 2006 and an Agreement for Sharing of Personal Data in relation to the Investigation of Sexual Offences and the Monitoring of Sex Offenders between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána was signed in 2008. I am advised that there are excellent working relationships surrounding the monitoring of the travel arrangements of relevant persons.
Furthermore, the Probation Service and The Probation Board of Northern Ireland have a protocol providing a framework for the secure and confidential sharing of information on the management of sex offenders who are subject to supervision by the respective services.