Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Select Committee on Justice and Equality

Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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They do not have to present anywhere specific. They present to their local station. I assume it would be much easier for offenders to present to their local station than to have to travel. It does not change the fact that they live where they live.

There is communication within An Garda Síochána and if there are any changes or concerns then that again comes under the remit of the legislation where relevant information can be shared if there is a concern within An Garda Síochána. Whether it is a local station or one further down the road, they have to present in person and they must comply with the terms set out in their post-release programme. There is a number of different mechanisms in the legislation that allow An Garda Síochána to monitor. We get into all the elements of it later, like changing name and so on, but An Garda Síochána is clear that what we have in the Bill is workable and suitable and it does not impact on how it monitors sex offenders. Whether it is the local station or one 20 miles down the road, it is clear that individuals still have to present to the station and that members of the Garda have an appropriate mechanism to monitor them. If they change address, they obviously have to register that and make a change. If they go on holidays for two days to a different county, they have to present to a station in that county as well.