Plans for the introduction of an electronic tagging for criminal offenders have been delayed again after a tender for the supply and management of monitors failed to attract any bids from prospective contractors.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan previously said the system would be rolled out by the end of last year “at the very latest”, saying it was “embarrassing” it had not happened sooner.
A €1.58-million contract for the provision and management of up to 50 electronic monitors for a 12-month pilot tagging programme was put out to tender last year.
However, the Department of Justice said the process was cancelled after the deadline passed without any compliant responses being received.
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The tender was re-advertised this week after a “small number” of changes to the technical specifications, with a new closing date of April 7th. It means electronic tagging is unlikely to be introduced until the second half of this year at the earliest.
The implementation of electronic monitoring for certain categories of offenders was a commitment contained in the Programme for Government and has been touted as a measure that could relieve prison overcrowding.
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Tender documents also highlight its potential impact in reducing recidivism and point to recommendations regarding alternatives to detention made by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
Prospective contractors will initially be required to supply 30 electronic monitors for the pilot programme, with the option of acquiring another 20. They will be used to monitor compliance with movement restrictions, exclusion zones and other conditions imposed by the courts or Irish Prison Service.
The supplier will also be responsible for maintaining the monitors, engaging with agencies and tagged offenders, developing procedures, supplying trained personnel and operating a 24/7 call centre.
During the 2024 general election campaign, O’Callaghan criticised his predecessor, Helen McEntee, for failing to introduce electronic tagging. He said there was a responsibility on the minister to implement the scheme, as legislation was already in place.
A spokesman for the department said the last tender competition was cancelled after the deadline passed without “any compliant responses” being received, but a new process had commenced.
“The Programme for Government commits to implement electronic tagging for appropriate categories of prisoners. Work is under way to operationalise electronic monitoring in line with existing legislative provisions, with a pilot phase expected to be operational in 2026,” the department said.
