Separate legal representation in court for alleged rape victims and a register of convicted sex offenders are among matters to be considered in a Green Paper from the Department of Justice later this year. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue, has asked officials in the law division of the Department to review the law in the area of sexual offences and prepare the Green Paper.
The paper will form the basis for a wide-ranging public debate on a range of possible reforms. These include: the establishment of a register of convicted sex offenders; sentencing policy; trial procedure; pre-sentencing reports; the treatment of offenders while in prison; paedophilia; consideration of the age of the victim; the question of whether an offender was in a position of authority; and separate legal representation for alleged rape victims.
However, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said that it was premature to speculate whether a register of convicted sex offenders would be introduced.
"The paper will be ready for publication in the autumn. We will be seeking the views of all interested parties. The Minister wants an informed public debate," he said. "The paper will say that a register could have the following benefits, but on the other hand there might be constitutional problems. It will put both sides of the argument."
Asked if the question of mandatory sentencing for certain sex offences would be proposed, the spokesman said that this had not been raised. However, if it was, it would be considered.
Meanwhile, the British government announced on Monday that it planned to compile a national register of sex offenders. British police will be allowed to inform schools and individual groups such as youth organisations about the identity of sex offenders, but only in exceptional circumstances.