Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I agree with Deputy Kenny that it is a nightmare thought for parents that any of their children would be interfered with, harassed, assaulted or abused in any way. Obviously, it is an issue to which the authorities and the Government give the highest priority.

Deputy Kenny stated that a number of issues have been highlighted in a newspaper today. There is no evidence that sex offenders from other jurisdictions are abusing the system here. I have checked this matter with the justice and Garda authorities who have assured me that is not the case. We have had very close co-operation for many years and these issues have been highlighted previously. There is close co-operation between the Garda authorities. It is wrong to say that a system is not in place for tracking sex offenders who come here from Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Any sex offender coming to this country from Great Britain or Northern Ireland is obliged by law to notify the Garda of his or her whereabouts, not to mind the co-operation that takes place between the police authorities. Failure to do so carries a penalty of imprisonment. That obligation extends to any sex offender entering this jurisdiction from abroad who has an obligation to register in his or her own country. If a person does not register in his or her own country, that is picked up also in the international system.

The Garda Síochána has a system in place to monitor offenders who are subject to these notification requirements and either they inform us or the other authorities inform us that they have gone missing. This means that nominated Garda inspectors in each Garda division are notified when a registered offender comes to live in their division. These officers are responsible for monitoring, and do monitor, such offenders.

When offenders go on the sex offenders register, the convictions are recorded on the Garda computer system — PULSE — even if those offenders had committed their crimes in another jurisdiction. This means that offenders' criminal records would show up in any vetting process, including if they sought work in any of the vulnerable areas such as schools or health services where they might have access to children. It is wrong to suggest that a sex offender convicted abroad who seeks a job working with children or vulnerable adults could beat the vetting system. If the offence is on the vetting system it will come up, as would any offence committed in another jurisdiction, just as it would come up if it occurred in the west or in the middle of my constituency. Furthermore, the Garda can apply——

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