Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this issue. This is a topical subject on the tagging of people who are out on bail and proposals that those on early release from prison, having served some of their sentences, would also be tagged. Much has been made of some of the incidents that have happened recently in rural Ireland, especially in Tipperary. There has also been an increasing number of robberies taking place in Dublin. The concept of tagging has been discussed as if it is a new concept.I asked the Minister why she has not invoked section 102 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which allows for tagging of criminals. The reason it would make sense is the economic cost of €6.45 per day and that its use in other jurisdictions has seen crime reduced. Some 62% of those released early from prison end up reoffending, with 80% of those doing so in the first year. When electronic tagging or smart tagging was brought in in other jurisdictions, the level of reoffending dropped by 85% to 95%. What I cannot understand is the Department of Justice and Equality talking about bringing in legislation on this when there is already section 102 of the Criminal Justice Act of nearly ten years ago that would allow for the tagging of those who are out on bail. I am merely asking the Minister why the Department is not putting that into effect immediately without having to wait for more legislation to do exactly what is provided for already.