Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for all details of guidelines in relation to the imposition of post-release supervision orders for sex offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18035/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The imposition of a Post Release Supervision Order under Section 29 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 is a matter for the judiciary as it forms part of sentencing. The judiciary is independent in the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. It is not open to me, as the Minister for Justice, to comment or intervene in any way in relation to how particular court proceedings are conducted, or on the outcome of those proceedings. These are matters entirely for the presiding judge.

Sentencing is a matter for the courts. The law sets out the maximum sentence that can be imposed for an offence and it is then a matter for the court to decide the appropriate sentence in each particular case, taking into account all the circumstances.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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207. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of times a post-release supervision order has been put in place for sex offenders in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18036/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of sex offenders released from jail in the past five years who have been subject to a post-release supervision order, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18038/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 209 together.

There are two forms of post-custodial supervision order that can apply:

• Post Release Supervision Order (‘PRSO’) under S.29 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001.
• Part Suspended Sentence Supervision Order (‘PSSSO) under S.99 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

In circumstances where the Probation Service is unclear whether a PRSO or PSSSO applies, they will proactively seek clarification from the sentencing court.

The Probation Service has provided the below information in response to the Deputy’s question. The relevant figures for 2024 will not be available until the publication of the Probation Service Annual Report 2024.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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208. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of sex offender orders put in place in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18037/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is provided.