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KEEPING TABS 

New powers for gardai to monitor sex offenders with electronic tags after new laws officially signed off

• Published: 15:51, 7 Apr 2023
• Updated: 15:51, 7 Apr 2023

SEX offenders can be monitored by gardai using an electronic tag after new laws were officially signed off by the President this week.

President Micheal D Higgins put pen to paper on the Government’s new Sex Offenders Amendment Act 2023 on Thursday night.

The new law gives gardai a host of new powers to keep tabs on sex offenders who are living in our communities.

The legislation gives the gardai the power to use an electronic tagging device to monitor a convicted sex offender who they believe is a particular danger to the community.

Sex offenders will also be explicitly banned from working with children and vulnerable adults after they are convicted.

While the law has been officially signed into action by the President, it will still take some time for all of the new measures to be introduced.

The Department of Justice will now work with An Garda Siochana and the Probation Services to put in place the measures needed to action the new rules.

It is expected that the full list of actions in the legislation won’t be commenced until later this year.

Justice Minister Simon Harris said he prioritised the legislation due to concerns that people have about sex offenders living in their communities.

He said: “I understand the concerns that communities can have about sex offenders and the protection of public safety, and I am confident this legislation will help to alleviate those concerns.

“The primary aim of this legislation is to improve the management and monitoring of sex offenders in the community to protect the public, including through the use of electronic tagging.

“Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based is a priority for me and this government, and this is reflected in a range of policies and legislation that we will continue to progress under the Zero Tolerance strategy on domestic, sexual and gender based violence.

“One of my priority focuses as Minister for Justice is making the criminal justice system more victim centred, and this Act contains significant measures to help in this work.”