Mr. Jimmy Martin:

It may be helpful to explain that there are different forms of electronic monitoring. Our legislation provides for three different forms. The first is where there is a court order as an alternative to custody and somebody is required to stay at a certain place for a certain period of time. There is provision for electronic monitoring which has not been commenced. That order is limited to a specific number of offences. It has not been used frequently. There is electronic monitoring of prisoners who are on temporary release. There is a significant difference between people on temporary release and people on bail. People on temporary release have been convicted and if they breach a condition of temporary release they can be returned to prison straight away. If a person breaches a condition of bail, there is no provision for them to be arrested straight away. A garda has to apply to the court and bring them back before the court for the court to decide. It is true that in a small number of cases in the Prison Service it is more cost effective to use electronic monitoring but this is based on a small number of specific cases. That is what we are saying in the case of bail. It will be cost effective in a small number of cases but not in every case. That is the difference. Similarly in the prisons, it is not used in every case but in a small number of cases.