Electronic tagging gets green light in €2.1m pilot

Specific categories of offenders will be electronically monitored in Ireland before the end of the year under a scheme designed to ease pressure on the prison system.

The 12 month pilot will have capacity to monitor between 90 and 150 people, with decisions on who can be tagged taking account of the offender’s profile and the seriousness of the crime.

The Government has not yet identified the categories of offenders that will be eligible.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has now signed a contract with Allied Universal Electronic Monitoring, clearing the way for the system to be established and tagging to begin later this year.

Electronic monitoring can allow authorities to check whether someone is complying with restrictions without holding them in prison.

The Government sees it as an additional tool for managing appropriate offenders at a time of mounting pressure on prison capacity.

O’Callaghan said the selection process would be guided by public safety rather than the need to create space in prisons.

“Considerations such as the profile of offender, nature, type and seriousness of the offence will be evaluated when assessing suitability for electronic monitoring,” he said.

The introduction of tagging is included in the Programme for Government and is already used to monitor offenders in a number of other jurisdictions.

“Since taking office I committed to the introduction of electronic tagging for a certain cohort of offenders and this contract brings this commitment to fruition,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“The pilot phase will have the capacity to monitor between 90 and 150 individuals over a 12 month period.”

The minister secured €2.1 million in Budget 2026 to fund staffing, procurement and the other costs involved in establishing the scheme.