Fine Gael’s proposals to introduce electronic tagging of sex offenders have been branded ‘rich’ and ‘extremely misleading’ after the Justice Minister ‘failed’ to sign a law allowing the procedure after it was passed ago 18 months.

Fine Gael yesterday launched the justice and crime proposals from its general election manifesto, with a pledge to “implement electronic tagging to effectively monitor sex offenders”.

He said this was “crucial to improving community safety and preventing reoffending”.

“EXTREMELY MISLEADING”

However, legislation to carry out electronic tagging of sex offenders was passed in April 2023, after debates throughout 2021. But nothing has yet been done to see it come into force.

Amid a war of words between Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan and Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Mr O’Callaghan told the Irish Daily Mail: “Fine Gael claims (in its manifesto) that it is a great and new idea, but the legislation is in place.’

“It still hasn’t started. So rather than talking about these things and trying to mislead you into thinking, “Oh, this is a new idea,” they should really focus on implementing the things that have already been adopted by the Oireachtas.

“Why have these provisions regarding electronic monitoring of sex offenders not yet been introduced by the minister?”

Mr O’Callaghan said Fine Gael’s proposal is “extremely misleading”.

“The only reason it is not yet operational is that the minister has not signed an opening order giving effect to its provisions.”

Senior government officials have confirmed that an implementation group is still working on the plans – 18 months after the legislation was signed into law.

They said: “They are still working on the implementation plan, they have not made any request for funding from the Department of Public Expenditure and there is no tender for the services yet.”

‘A LITTLE RICH’

Labor Party leader Ivana Bacik said it was difficult to take Fine Gael’s proposal seriously.

“I think it’s a bit rich to include this in the manifesto at this point. This is hardly a commitment to take seriously two weeks before an election,” Ms. Bacik said.

A Fine Gael spokesperson said of the claims: “Minister McEntee has ensured good progress in the introduction of electronic marking, which involves complex legislation. She began work on a plan to introduce electronic tagging of sex offenders. It is anticipated that this work, which includes an assessment of the scale and potential costs involved, will be completed in early 2025.”

Noeline Blackwell, former chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Center and victims’ rights lawyer, said: “The election is when these things come back, it’s a bit like a New Year’s resolution.”

“There is no need for more legislation,” she said, asking, “Do you have everything you need to make the tag work?”

Although the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023 was passed in April 2023, the relevant section which deals with electronic tags has not been signed into law by Ms McEntee as the implementation plan is still being worked out. elaboration.

More than a million euros was spent on electronic monitoring of 151 prisoners between 2014 and 2021.

Figures released by Ms McEntee show that between 2014 and 2021 a total of €1,085,759 was spent on electronic monitoring of 151 prisoners. The Irish Prison Service no longer uses electronic monitoring.

It follows a pilot electronic prisoner tagging program launched in 2010 that faced an equipment malfunction.

Ms McEntee said in 2022 sex offenders on temporary release were not electronically tagged due to “considerations of cost and limited use”.

WAR OF WORDS

It comes as a row broke out between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over the latter’s record at the Ministry of Justice.

Fianna Fáil says it would have made “greater progress” if it had been deputized for justice four years ago.

There were reports of tensions between the parties of Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Michael Martin in the weeks before the general election campaign was called.

The perceived divide between the former coalition parties deepened last week, after Mr Martin publicly declared his desire for Fianna Fáil to take over the Justice Department if it returned to government.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time on Thursday evening, Mr O’Callaghan said he had proposed many of the initiatives Ms McEntee had introduced during her time at the Ministry of Justice.

“I congratulate the minister on adopting our proposal to raise the hiring age (for gardaí) and raise retirement to 62,” he said.

Mr O’Callaghan reaffirmed that position yesterday morning, saying: “I believe if (Fianna Fáil) had had the full ministry in the Department of Justice, I think we would have seen greater progress in the area of justice.”

Ms McEntee said: “I think there are probably women across the country who will understand what it’s like when men try to claim credit for their work.

“My aim over the next two weeks is to be re-elected to represent the people of Meath East, and I hope we will be able to return to government with Simon Harris as Taoiseach.

“Beyond that, it’s really a matter of two, three, four weeks, when we’ll see what the outcome (of the election) is and what the people decided. And I think whatever will beyond that is just arrogant.

Ms McEntee is unsure whether she will fight her way back to the Ministry of Justice if Fine Gael is in government again. But she said: “I have a very good record,” pointing to the expansion of justice services and the prison system, as well as reforms to combat gender-based violence.