Brendan Griffin
Question:405. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice the number of electronic tags currently in use for convicted persons, the locations of these; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56193/23]
View answerThursday, 14 December 2023
Questions (405)
Written answers
The Deputy may be aware that electronic monitoring is provided for in the Criminal Justice Act 2006 in respect of people who are on temporary release and people with Restriction of Movement Orders. It is also provided for in the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023 for a convicted sex offender who is subject to a post-release supervision order or where a sex offender order includes a condition restricting the offender's movement, post release. In addition, the Bail Act 1997, as amended includes provisions for electronic monitoring where appropriate, for those charged with a serious offence or those appealing against a sentence of imprisonment imposed by the District Court and who are admitted to bail on entering into a recognisance setting out the conditions of electronic monitoring.
To date, only the provisions in relation to prisoners on temporary release have been commenced, and following a pilot in 2010, a programme was implemented in 2013 whereby 151 prisoners were electronically monitored. However, electronic tagging is not currently being used due to cost considerations and its limited use.
Having said that, the Deputy may wish to know that a Working Group has been established to inform an approach to the operationalisation of electronic monitoring of offenders. The Group is chaired by the Department of Justice and includes representatives of the Courts Service, the Probation Service, the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána. The Group is due to provide me with an update on its deliberations shortly.