A PILOT tagging scheme for prisoners has proved successful despite a number of “hiccups” and may be extended to free up prison places, according to the Irish Prison Service.
The scheme, which recently concluded, involved 30 prisoners being released from prisons with electronic tags strapped to their legs.
The tags were monitored by satellite navigation systems to ensure the wearers complied with conditions of the scheme which related to restrictions on their whereabouts.
However, it is understood one prisoner was able to take his tag off, leave it at home and was later arrested for committing a crime in the United Kingdom.
Two other individuals also returned tags which had fallen off.
Prison service director general Brian Purcell said a review of the scheme had taken place and shown it had proven to be successful and that “the technology does work”.
He said tagging was one of a number of things considered in the context of alternatives to custody and questions remained in relation to how to select individuals for inclusion in the programme.
He also said there were issues in relation to cost and tendering for the service as “all Government departments, have to make sure bang for buck for taxpayer”.
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