Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I refer to two items of promised legislation. In light of headlines in today's newspapers regarding a possible paedophile ring in County Donegal and the recording of nearly 2,400 sexual offences in Ireland last year, I note the Government has plans to introduce tighter controls on convicted rapists and paedophiles, including plans to tag convicted sex offenders. What is the present status of that legislation? Second, the former Minister for Justice and Law Reform gave a commitment in the House to introduce legislation to facilitate the provision of information to parents and those involved in providing employment to sex offenders and so forth, as well as to put that mechanism on a statutory footing in order that people in communities that may be at risk might be made aware, through An Garda Síochána, of a person's conviction. This commitment has yet to be put on a statutory footing.

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