Mattie McGrath on Electronic Tagging Cuts and Community Guarantees
Deputy Mattie McGrath challenged the discontinuation of electronic tagging and questioned funding for the Guarantee, citing threats to communities in Tipperary after a violent robbery. He pressed the Minister of Justice on why a legislated measure appears unfunded and ineffective in practice.
Allegations on electronic tagging
Mattie McGrath recalled lobbying by Save Our Community in Tipperary after a heinous robbery in Killinall and said community groups from Prowstone, Listerona and Community Left are meeting the Minister of Justice. He argued electronic tagging had been shown to work in many jurisdictions and asked why it was discontinued in 2017 for cost reasons, noting that only 151 persons have been electronically tagged, prisons without a remand, since 2006.
Concerns about the Guarantee and bail monitoring
McGrath questioned how the Guarantee can be "run around" once people are out on bail and warned that communities need effective monitoring and support. He said local people are fighting to save their communities and demanded clarity on what message the Minister will give them when funds are said to be exhausted despite legislation.
Ministerial reply and budget figures
The Minister of Justice told members that a meeting with the Tipperary group had been arranged and confirmed attendance to hear concerns. The Minister disputed that there was no support for the Guarantee and cited over €2 billion invested in Angarda Shea Khan in this year's budget, claiming increases of 13 per cent in the number of Guarantee, 10 per cent specifically in Clonmel, and an increase in civilian Guarantee.
Next steps and community expectations
Both McGrath and the Minister emphasised the need for direct engagement with the community delegation. The Minister said he would listen to concerns at the scheduled meeting and respond, while McGrath pressed for concrete funding and operational answers about electronic tagging and the Guarantee.
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The Minister of Justice is here, and a group from Tipperary, from Prowstone, Listerona, Community Left, are coming up to the Minister of Justice today. They're fighting to save their communities, because of lack of numbers, they're guaranteed, and they're guaranteed they're doing their best. And Save Our Community in Tipperary came up before, after a most heinous robbery in Killinall, where a business family were ill, destroyed. And they lobbied hard for electronic tagging, and that did start, and only 151 persons have been electronically tagged, prisons without a remand, since 2006. It's appalling. And the Minister replied from you, you've stated that it's discontinued now, since 2017, because of the cost. What is going on? How can the Guarantee be run around after people are out on bail, when the electronic tagging has been proven in many jurisdictions to be so successful, so easily monitored, and a good system, and you have no funds to run it? How are we going to support our communities? And what message are you going to give those people today, the good people of Tipperary, who want to save their communities and support them, if we're going to run out of money and say, we can't afford to do what we passed in this House to do, and for half for, and legislated for? Minister, Minister, Minister. Thank you, Deputy. As you've rightly said, I was asked to meet a group of people a number of weeks ago, by Senator Gareth O'Hearn, and I'm very pleased to be meeting them today, to hear their concerns. I don't think you're right in saying that we're not providing support or investment for the Guarantee, because over €2 billion has been invested in Angarda Shea Khan in this year's budget, and specifically for Clonmel, we have had an increase of 13 per cent in the number of Guarantee, an increase of 10 per cent specifically in Clonmel, and an increase in civilian Guarantee. Not saying that, obviously, what I want to do today is hear the concerns of members of the community, and to be able to respond to them effectively, and that's exactly what I'll do. Thank you.
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