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Shatter: Government will not oppose Child Sex Offenders Bill

The bill – which was put forward by the Reform Alliance – will be discussed by the Dáil on Friday.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL not oppose a bill on child sex offenders, the Justice Minister said today.

Minister Alan Shatter said that the Government will not oppose the bill at second stage, and that it will be on the agenda for Dáil members to discuss this week.

The Child Sex Offenders (Information and Monitoring) Bill 2012 will be discussed in the Dáil this Friday. It was put forward by the Reform Alliance member Deputy Denis Naughten.

Minister Shatter recommended to Cabinet today that the Government should not oppose the bill when it reaches second stage, and this was agreed on by all the members.

Minister Shatter said that they won’t oppose the bill at this stage “as it affords a valuable opportunity to discuss in the Dáil risks posed to children by paedophiles”.

He said that the government shares these concerns and that this area “has been given substantial consideration by me and by my officials in the Department of Justice”

Denis Naughten TD has welcomed the Government’s decision to accept his legislation, which would allow information on sex offenders to be made available to the parents of children and vulnerable adults who may be at risk.

He also welcomed confirmation that the legislation is to be incorporated into Government legislation on sex offenders which will be published in the coming weeks.

This is an issue that I have felt strongly about for some time, particularly since coming across a worrying incident in 2011 which at the time had the potential to put the safety of children at risk.

He described it as a “significant step forward in protecting children by providing parents – for the first time in Irish law – with the right to access relevant information from the Gardaí regarding a high risk sex offender who is living in their community”.

Naughten added that the bill will also close “significant loopholes for the abuse of the sex offenders’  register”.

He thanked the parents that initially brought this issue to his attention and the hundreds of parents around the country who have contacted him on this issue, as well as thanking the Minister for Justice.

Constitution

Minister Shatter said that 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”.

Shatter intends to publish the General Scheme of a Sexual Offences Bill addressing a broad range of issues, once it has been considered by Cabinet, in the coming weeks.

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, he said.

The Department of Justice and Equality has conducted a thorough examination of the law on sexual offences, added the Minister.

Read: Serious criminals will have DNA logged on international database>

Read: One in Four calls for more treatment in the community for sex offenders>

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37 Comments
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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:18 PM

    All I want to see is life sentences(life as in leave prison in a coffin not the pathetic 25yrs ) for child sexual abuse.

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:29 PM

    Bullet to the head is an easy way out.

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    Mute Niall Sullivan
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:29 PM

    Since when do they get 25 year sentences Begrudy? Normally it’s way less than that.

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:38 PM

    Niall I do believe life here is 25 or somewhere close to that. However not many do that stretch.

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    Mute Lamb
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    Oct 9th 2013, 5:52 AM

    I thought if you get a life sentence you serve about 20 years and then get let out on a licence. If you step out of line they can put you straight back in to jail. Thats how it works in the UK anyway.

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    Mute Niall Sullivan
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:31 PM

    The article doesn’t offer a whole lot of info on the specifics contained in the bill.

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:36 PM

    Hi Niall – I’ve just linked to the bill in the text above, hope that helps.
    Aoife

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    Mute John Murray
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:38 PM

    Got there before me Aoife , was just about to paste it in a reply :)

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    Mute Niall Sullivan
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    Oct 8th 2013, 8:55 PM

    It does Aoife – thanks.

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    Mute Peter Carney
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    Oct 9th 2013, 12:59 AM

    I guess there are two stories here. One, FG support RA bill. Two, convicted sex offenders will have their identity known to concern parents. I think the latter is the bigger story- the bill itself. I can’t see how it will work in practice – the effect will vigilantism and sex offenders constantly relocating.. as has been clearly stated here and bourn out in the statistic – it’s more likely to be a friend or family member than abuses.

    Given these two significant issues, it begs the question as to why this bill is progressing so quickly. Yes, it might sound good on the surface (and thus be popular), but it’s not something that will have any real impact on protecting children, from what I can see. I guess it would also be difficult for a conservative FG to vote against a bill that ostensibly protects children. but surely what we need are good laws and real child protection rather than something that raises a few cheers from the crowd that could well have very undesirable consequences.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Oct 8th 2013, 7:17 PM

    I’m wondering how they are going to enforce Section 6 (confidentiality of information disclosed) . If someone makes an application, receives a report that the person named may pose a risk of to children, then the person who receives the information had to keep it to themselves and not disclose it to anyone else. Disclosure of that information can lead to a fine of up to €5.000.

    So basically if you receive information that a person poses a danger you can take measures to keep your own child safe but not your child’s playmate next door or risk a fairly hefty fine. It’s a no brainer that anyone who knows that a person who might pose a danger to children and has been informed by the Gardai to that effect is going to tell all and sundry.

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    Mute Sinead
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    Oct 8th 2013, 8:16 PM

    I would tell everyone, wouldn’t be able to pay the fine, then I would end up in prison… If it protected one child from such horror, would gladly do it, it’s about time these creeps are no longer protected while our children are left vulnerable

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:16 PM

    The problem is then Sinead that these people go underground and no one knows where they are. That’s the difficulty in dealing with this situation. If they get harrassed of of the area the move on to another area but might not register. Great for the people of the first area but no great for the offenders new home. There’s a balancing act in this and I certainly wouldn’t like to be the one on the wire.

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    Mute Sinead
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:37 PM

    I guess that’s unfortunately true. Besides the only people on the list are the ones that have been caught, and like someone said before its not the bogeyman but usually a relative or friend. There appears to be no easy answer, except maybe known offenders should not be released from prison ever

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    Mute Mickey finn
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:49 PM

    We need as a nation to stand up against these people so jail them tag them and no special protection. Into general population and let the jungle decide their fate

    26
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    Mute Justin Healy
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    Oct 8th 2013, 7:26 PM

    Frances Fitzgerald very quiet over last few weeks. Was it a case of get children’s ref passed and job done? Surely she should be commenting / acting on this.

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    Mute Aodhan O Cuana
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    Oct 8th 2013, 8:41 PM

    We need to be looking at more progressive ways of addressing abuse in the country. In the Athlone case the chap was incarcerated but came out offending. Trends in prison terms are looking at less sentencing and more community based rehabilitation. This is not popular to argue but offenders need to address their behaviours and crimes through therapeutic interventions.

    In terms of abuse, you are at greater risk in family and close relationships. It’s not the bogeyman but family or friends of the victim. I think we need to look at how this act will address the wider issues of offending through trafficking of children, a use of women and vulnerable people in poverty which impact on children and families on a daily basis.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:18 PM

    Aodhan AFAIK the guy in Athlone had no previous convictions for sex offences so he would have been in the clear of any enquires into his past.

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    Mute Aodhan O Cuana
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:26 PM

    Contrary to belief; you just don’t wake up one day and become a serial sex abuser. The chap allegedly had 70 convictions. While we will not be privy to these, what we can agree is the evidence base around sex offending points to various indicators of minor offences that often lead to abuse.

    Over the course of the case details will be revealed in terms of individual life experiences, personal relationships and developmental milestones that will pathologically indicate that this man was developing tendencies towards children and sexual feelings.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:33 PM

    That’s true enough. It will be an interesting case to follow.

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    Mute Keith Shanghai Irish
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:26 PM

    Maybe they could be used in some kind of battle royale scenario? The winner gets to spend his or her days on a bare mattress in a dark room with only the sound of a dripping tap for company.

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    Mute Noble Gas
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    Oct 8th 2013, 6:38 PM

    Or like a pedo safari hunting as part of the gathering. Rich millionaires could by buy a licence to hunt ( throw in an Irish passport) on one of the islands off the west coast. Tv3 could buy the rights.

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    Mute Keith Shanghai Irish
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    Oct 8th 2013, 9:12 PM

    I’d pay the tv licence for that show alone

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    Mute Ben Black
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    Oct 8th 2013, 8:11 PM

    Special Advisor #1: “Run with it, sure everyone hates paedophiles!”

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    Mute voodoo_criminology
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    Oct 8th 2013, 8:34 PM

    Bingo.

    Not sure what exactly this Bill will achieve, but sure we all hate the paedos.

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    Mute Ben Black
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:16 PM

    Especially after an embarrassing Referendum defeat.

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    Mute mr_bean_007
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    Oct 8th 2013, 8:34 PM

    Like the abortion legislation this legislation does not go far enough to bring us into 21st century.

    Why are we protecting these filth? Why can’t a list of all convicted paedophiles be published online and available to all?!

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    Mute Jackie D Keane
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:02 PM

    I agree I would want to know if any sick b******d lived near my children, thereis palpable hatred for such crimes the perpetrators would be targeted relentlessly if there was access to info about where they lived, will the new bill allow for this??? It might make Ireland less of a haven for such vermin…

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:23 PM

    Jackie it will only inform the person making the inquiry if they pose a risk and what level that risk is, nothing else. Otherwise you will have the blazing torch mob kicking them out from town to town until they no longer sign on to the register and they disappear off the radar. Then the Guards can’t keep an eye on them, they can’t get any rehabilitative support and their risk of reoffending gets even higher.

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    Mute Michael O'Connor
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    Oct 9th 2013, 8:46 AM

    Why limit it to just online?

    When I was living in the states, lists and photos of convicted child sex offenders were publicly displayed in many shops and businesses.

    These people’s identities should be visible to everyone. The argument that it’s to protect their identities is a lazy one – nobody went out and killed these people (in a country where owning a loaded weapon is legal), but they *were* vilified and kept away from kids, thanks to their identities being fully public.

    Public lists are the way to go. Why are these people being protected? If I knew someone was a child molester, I would be ensuring everybody I know was aware of the fact, purely for the safety of their children!

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    Mute Eamonn Colfer
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:44 PM

    We need to avoid a repetition of what happened in Britain where a number of innocent celebrities were subject to false accusations of abuse and then cleared in the courts.

    I broadly support the legislation but am concerned that so-called “soft information” i.e. rumours,being used could lead a a repetition of such a witch-hunt. On Vincent Browne last night the soft information issue was raised. There is a danger this could lead to malicious rumours and that could ruin the reputations of innocent people.

    If you google you will find several recent cases of Irish teachers having convictions overturned for false accusations of child abuse. We dont want to encourage more of this by malicious persons with unrelated grudges against people.

    12
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:35 PM

    There is a section of the Bill that covers malicious enquires although you don’t need to go to the cops to start a rumour.

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    Mute Eamonn Colfer
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    Oct 9th 2013, 12:11 AM

    But this will encourage it.

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    Mute Niall Mullane
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:31 PM

    They should have a choice to be chipped and monitored at all times or take castration. Jail is too lenient in this country for them. Breaking rocks with sledge hammers 12 hrs a day for 20 yrs would keep their minds at bay.

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    Mute Eamonn Colfer
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    Oct 9th 2013, 5:12 PM

    But if you castrate them that means that if their convictions are overturned later, an innocent person will have been mutilated by the State.

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    Mute Eileen Soltani
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    Oct 9th 2013, 9:19 AM

    we have a sex offender living across the road.not convicted as yet..but still allowed to roam freely with a convicted rapist who served 15 yrs..and they hold their heads up high while their victims cower inside their homes, and we have to kee our kids locked up all the time til this animal gets his just deserts..the justice system is a disgrace

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    Mute Luck Ford
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    Oct 9th 2013, 1:52 AM

    You shouldn’t post that photograph of the ghost on the swing, it’s a bad image (Satnic)

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