Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 17 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 3

Written Answers. - Sex Offenders.

Dan Neville

Ceist:

251 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that this country is not a safe haven for United Kingdom sex offenders following the introduction of a child sex offenders register in the United Kingdom. [23400/97]

Dan Neville

Ceist:

252 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will respond to the statement by the RUC press office that there is no obligation for paedophiles to notify the police of moving south and that they can freely move from the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland or Britain. [23401/97]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together.

I am assured by the Garda authorities that Ireland is not a safe haven for those who have perpetrated sexual offences. I am further informed that the level of co-operation between the Garda and police forces in adjoining jurisdictions is excellent.

As I have already indicated, a Discussion Paper on Sexual Offences, which is currently being prepared in my Department and which will be published shortly, will contain, inter alia, a detailed section on issues relating to a paedophile register. The purpose of the discussion paper will be to facilitate a constructive and informed debate on the topic to assist in arriving at an effective and workable solution.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

253 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will give details of the number of sex offenders currently in each of the prisons in the State, the number of these prisoners who have been released who did not undergo a rehabilitation programme since the beginning of 1997; the plans, if any, there are to expand the number of places on the rehabilitation programme; the plans, if any, he has to provide for supervision of these offenders after their release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23402/97]

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

The Deputy will appreciate that the number of persons in custody having been convicted of sex offences varies from week to week. However, at the end of last month there were approximately 255 sentenced sex offenders detained in our prisons system. Sex offenders are accommodated in all of the closed institutions with the majority being held in Arbour Hill Prison, approximately 70, the Curragh Place of Detention, approximately 95, and Wheatfield Place of Detention, approximately 51.

There are currently two forms of therapeutic intervention available to sex offenders within the prison system. Both are aimed at enabling such offenders gain some measure of control over their offending behaviour. The first is individual counselling from my Department's clinical psychology service or from the probation and welfare service. This service is available in all prisons, with the temporary exception of the Curragh where it will be available as soon as possible. The second is an intensive offence focused group work programme available only in Arbour Hill prison at present. It should be noted that both forms of treatment are entirely voluntary. In the region of 60 sex offenders are released from custody each year. All of those released would have had access to individual counselling but not all of them would have availed of it. Ten offenders have been recruited to the dedicated treatment programme in each year since its introduction in 1994. It takes about 11 months to complete the programme. This may seem like a small proportion but a large number of those released would not be candidates for the treatment programme due to disinterest, or because they are serving short sentences.

I am keen to expand treatment programmes for sex offenders and my Department is acvively examining the possibility of increasing the number of group treatment places available by locating a further group treatment programme for ten sex offenders at the Curragh. However, in view of the specialised skills necessary to set up and run such a programme, it will take some time to put a new programme in place there.

At present, offenders who have completed their sentences cannot be compelled to accept supervision from the probation and welfare service. There is, however, a small number of offenders (who have completed the Arbour Hill programme) now under mandatory supervision by the probation and welfare service on foot of court orders which included one year periods at the end of their sentences suspended under these conditions. These are progressing satisfactorily. My Department is in the course of finalising a discussion paper on sex offences and this will contain a detailed section on the question of mandatory supervision following release from prison as well as a range of other issues, including whether there should be a register of sex offenders and the tracking of such offenders.