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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said banning convicted sex offenders from using dating apps is a “very good idea”.
Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone called for the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to consider including a provision for judges to order all sex offenders not to use the apps in the new Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill.
When asked about the measure today at the government’s launch of its action plan for online safety, Varadkar said he would examine if specific legislation could be introduced.
He said it is customary for judges to impose behavioural orders on people convicted of crimes, and perhaps the use of dating apps is already being banned upon conviction.
However, he said if such an order is not being made by judges, perhaps legislation could deal with the issue.
“I think, in principle, it sounds like something we ought to do. People would be aware of a recent conviction where dating apps were used to connect with victims,” he said.
Last week, a rapist who met his victim through an online dating app Badoo was jailed for five years. Meanwhile, last month, a father-of-two pleaded guilty to carrying out sex attacks on two women he met on Tinder.
“I wouldn’t like to see people convicted getting released and there being no post-supervision after release. You would imagine part of the probation period there would be an order not to use dating apps, but it seems like a sensible suggestion, so it is something I will definitely examine in more detail,” concluded the Taoiseach.
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It certainly is a good idea, but how do you enforce this law?
@Larissa Nikolaus: fake accounts are easy to make I think.
@Larissa Nikolaus: monitoring and enforcement would be impossible. Longer prison sentences would prevent or inhibit recidivism.
@Larissa Nikolaus: You’re right it would be difficult but we should at least try. Facial recognition exits… that’s a start.
If caught with a fake account then an automatic double sentence. I don’t know. But we should at the very least try to put some protections in place.
@Abbie Cranky: longer, much longer, prison sentences
@Larissa Nikolaus: The same way as they do now banning certain offenders from using certain types of technology right now, surprise inspections and the like. It’s not infallible in any way, but it’s a start and mainly it gives power the court sytem to take action against any potential threats from re-offending.
@Larissa Nikolaus: Onerous punishments should act as a deterrent. You wouldn’t stop it completely but the number would surely decrease at the very least.
Wonder how this could be enforceable?? How many of them are out using these apps, unbeknownst to those their talking with!!
@Sarah Bourke: Be better if he put energy into tagging for 3 years min .
@Quentin Moriarty: that would make more sense
@Quentin Moriarty: Agree fully, but the days of enforcing the wishes of the majority of the public I’m afraid are gone. Snowflakes everywhere then the EU courts, the appeals, the human rights activists – the list goes on sadly.
@Quentin Moriarty: 100% agree, although what’s the odds of that happening anytime soon!
@wattsed: ahh the oul “snowflakes” reference and in the middle of a heatwave. You have a very original turn of phrase. Did you manage to make up the reference “snowflake” all on your own?
@wattsed: give over with the ‘snowflake’ line. It’s old and sad you’ve got to revert back to it!
@Paul Laing: No, my 6 year old daughter told me. She’s more streetwise. And it’s cloudy now btw. Draw the curtains back, pull up the blind. Go on, you’ll be fine.
@Sarah Bourke: Careful Sarah. That’s ageism, not politically correct now.
@wattsed: the idea that the word has been used in the past and the idea of using it is getting old is not ageism. You thought I was calling you old for using it, proves the point that ‘snowflakes’ do in fact have brains!
@Sarah Bourke: We all have a brain. Some more left/right developed than the other. I still like snowflakes in general.
@wattsed: you still got the idea of ageism wrong.
great idea but how would if be enforced , the app makers could improve safety by asking for a copy of passport or driving licence, but there only interested in money not safety.
Sex crimes have a very high rate of recidivism. Dating apps are just one method for sexual predators to use. Longer custodial sentences are the only effective protection.
@Paul Laing: Can you validate longer sentences have any degree of efficacy ?Current data from other countries suggests it works or not ?
Pointless if there’s no improvement, think outside the box. Which countries have less instances of this and minimal repeats, and why ?
@wattsed: Unfortunately sex offenders do not tend to think of long term consequences of there actions, if they did hardly any would occur.
@wattsed: sex offenders can’t commit attacks on women when in prison. Think about it.
@Paul Laing: There is that, but that wouldn’t stop them attacking other men.
More Leo self promoting bull that he cannot do..
He is a great man the talk but f all action ..
He will spout anything for a time untill the next item and thats the last from him on the last item ..
@Irish Bob: Thats it in a nutshell Bob. All Leo is interested in is looking like he’s doing something – especially when it doesnt cost anything (to him anyway)
I agree with reasonable controlling the activities of sexual offenders and predators- but how is this to be patrolling and monitored?
@John Dunne (aka JD): in prison, therefore involving much longer sentences.
He might as well try to stop birds flying with todays technology anything can happen to bypass that law it’s like saying to a drug addict I’m gonna stop pharmacies from selling anything that makes u high in this area and off he goes to the other area
To be honest – I don’t know what he needs to “consider” ….
As many people mention this would be very hard to enforce. However with alot of post release conditions given to regular and sex offenders, if they are caught breaking the terms then they can be easily re-imprisoned for that breach. These do act as a deterrent to some degree.
@The Bob: sex crimes often have a highly compulsive element. Deterrence is usually ineffective.
@Paul Laing:
Hence the need for chemical castration and a register accessable to the public.
@Mill Lane: Or optional chemical castration. I’m sure a lot of sexual deviants would in fact avail of this measure. I don’t believe it should be forced.
Head in bucket now
The answer has to be longer sentencing. I don’t see how the state being able to patrol internet use is beneficial to the wider public. We need to look at the broader picture here. When the federal government in the US passed the Patriot Act in the wake of terrorist attacks most welcomed it without looking at the ramifications for their own personal freedoms and liberties and how such a law could be used for immoral acts.
@Daniel Donovan: I agree. Much longer sentences are the only effective deterrent.
Whist good in theory it’s just another populist soundbite when real urgent things in society need fixing, prioritys for god sake
I’d say compulsory ‘Health Warnings’ of the most lurid type affixed to dating site top pages might be more effective.
It’s definitely an area where all is not what it seems!
I’m probably naive here, but I would have thought that sex offenders register is something that Dating Apps would have access to and could block any members that were on it. Or do they just take the money and do nothing??
Bit silly, why don’t they just ban them from dating/talking to people. Utterly unenforceable.
@Markonline: it can be enforced in prison and that argues for much lomnger prison sentences.
Probably agree but any chance of sorting the lack of housing for irish people Leo.
The only way this could be possible is to enforce all dating app agencies to take very specific and legitimate details of the person, like a government body would, and therefore it would be illegal to lie about it. Sounds very implausible, but when you think of the amount of bad articles that can actually anonymously set up fake accounts and use them to troll people and commit crimes against them, it actually should be made possible.
Another way of saying I’ll be doing nothing
have your say