Memorandum of Understanding on sex offenders travelling between the UK and Ireland

A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and the Irish government has been signed, to ensure that information on sex offenders who plan to travel between the UK and Ireland is shared between the relevant police forces.

In practice, this information has been exchanged for some time, but the MOU now puts the arrangements on a formal footing.

Presently in the UK, everyone on the sex offenders register has to notify the police if they intend to travel abroad for more than three days. In Ireland, offenders have to notify the Irish police An Garda Síochána if they intend to travel abroad for more than seven days, and registered sex offenders from abroad must notify the An Garda Síochána if they reside in the State for more than seven days.

The MOU is part of the work undertaken following the Intergovernmental Agreement on North/South Co-operation on Criminal Justice Matters, signed on behalf of the Irish and British Governments in July 2005. Under the Agreement, a Registered Sex Offender Advisory Group has been established, consisting of representatives of An Garda Síochána, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Irish Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Northern Ireland Office. As part of its work, this Group evaluates the potential for sharing information, examining the registration criteria in both jurisdictions for sex offenders and identifying areas for further co-operation.

Discussions are ongoing between the Home Office and its Irish counterpart as to whether the contents of the memorandum will be made publicly available on the internet.

Guidance on the process for complying with the MOU will be published very shortly in the form of a Home Office Circular.