merrion street

The Child Sex Offenders (Information and Monitoring) Bill 2012 will be discussed in the Dáil this Friday, 11 October 2013. Minister Shatter recommended to Cabinet today that the Government should not oppose the Child Sex Offenders (Information and Monitoring) Bill 2012 at Second Stage, and this was agreed.

Speaking today, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter TD, said, “The Government is not opposing this Bill at Second Stage as it affords a valuable opportunity to discuss in the Dáil risks posed to children by paedophiles. These are concerns which we share and this area has been given substantial consideration by me and by my officials in the Department of Justice.

“The specific provisions contained in Deputy Naughten’s Bill give rise to a number of practical difficulties and raise issues both of a constitutional nature and under the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

“It is my intention to publish in the coming weeks the General Scheme of a substantial Sexual Offences Bill addressing a broad range of issues, once it has been considered by Cabinet. This draft legislation will include provision for a statutory basis for disclosures to members of the public and for the putting in place of an appropriate scheme.”

In the context of work carried out in this area in preparation for the publication of the General Scheme of the Sexual Offences Bill, the Department of Justice and Equality has conducted a thorough examination of the law on sexual offences. This followed the publication of the publication of "The Management of Sex Offenders, A Discussion Document, January 2009" and the "Summary of Views received on the Discussion Document on Management of Sex Offenders, September 2010".