Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 99: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals for electronic tagging for certain offences; the research his Department has done to establish the effectiveness of such a procedure; if his attention has been drawn to a report of the system in Canada that found that electronic monitoring had no effect on recidivism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10780/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 107 and 222 of 16 February 2005, the use of electronic tagging systems to monitor offenders in other jurisdictions is an issue which my Department has kept under review for some time. My Department has looked at the experience of a number of countries in the operation of these systems. These include the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Sweden and Australia. In addition, my Department is aware of the experience in Canada as outlined in the report referred to by the Deputy.

As I have explained in my previous replies to the House on this matter, difficulties have been encountered in other jurisdictions in developing fully effective electronic tagging systems, but recent developments in technology may provide solutions to these.

These developments are now being considered by my Department, in consultation with the prison and probation and welfare services, with a view to drawing up an enabling legislative provision to allow me to introduce electronic tagging in appropriate cases when the technology has advanced sufficiently. It is my intention to bring forward this proposal by way of an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill which is currently on Second Stage in the Dáil. Details of the proposal will be announced in the normal way.