Ms Caroline Counihan:

To quote the somewhat legal language that is used, as matters stand, under section 46 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, once somebody has been released from prison, probation officers, gardaí and victims may apply for a harassment order if necessary to prevent a sex offender "approaching within such distance as the court shall specify of the place of residence or employment of the victim or any other place frequented by the victim as the court deems appropriate" for a maximum of 12 months. That is a good protection to know about and it goes some way towards allaying the fears of victims when perpetrators come back into communities. It is very reassuring to hear that the probation service, in tandem with local authorities, does everything possible to offer sex offenders housing solutions elsewhere. Having a perpetrator in the local community is very difficult for victims, as the committee can imagine.