A TD HAS drafted a new law which would allow parents to access information regarding a sex offender living in their area which he says would be in the best interests of child protection.
The bill proposed by Denis Naughten would see the establishment of a system that would enable parents to enquire whether a person coming into contact with their child has been convicted of a sexual offence or may otherwise pose a serious danger. The system would be modelled on the so-called Sarah’s Law in the UK which came about after the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2000 by a sex offender.
Naughten’s law would be more limited than UK regulation in that parents or guardians would have to show a reason for their request for information about a person. But there would likely be concerns raised by civil liberties groups and others who fear that the law could lead to cases of mistaken identity, vigilantism and suspicion among communities.
So today we want to know: Should parents be given access to details of sex offenders living in their area?
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