'Permanent monitoring' for sex offenders?

15 September 2003: Cllr Paul Kelly of Leixlip has called for an overhaul of the law on treatment of sex offenders, on the basis that research has shown 'that there is no cure and that they are likely to re-offend'.

Cllr Kelly, who is a practicing solicitor, says there is currently no really effective way of monitoring people on the sex offender's register and he suggests that some form of permanent monitoring be introduced.

"At present our law is based on the principle that once a person has been punished by the courts they have paid their debt to society," he says. "This may be true about most other types of crime, but these offences are very different. I admit that it is a huge step to bring in some form of permanent monitoring, but I certainly believe we have to start looking for new ways to tackle this nightmare.”

He made his comments in the light of recent protests by the residents of Loughnamona in Leixlip, over the revelation that a paedophile was living near them.