BLACKPOOL (CORK, EIRE)
Irish Examiner
October 7, 2017
By Nick Bramhill
Ireland is on course to become the first country in Europe to cancel the passports of convicted paedophiles in a bid to prevent them travelling overseas to offend again.
Earlier this year Australia became the first country in the world to introduce strict legislation to clamp down on sex offenders leaving or attempting to go abroad.
Now Ireland looks set to follow with draft legislation expected to be introduced later this month, which would pave the way for this country becoming the first European nation to make it illegal for convicted paedophiles to travel overseas.
The campaign is being spearheaded by Fr Shay Cullen, the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Irish missionary who runs the PREDA child abuse charity in the Philippines.
The Dublin-born priest said a move to prevent registered sex offenders from travelling abroad would particularly benefit developing nations, such as the Philippines, where sex tourism and child prostitution are rife.
He said: “It is a grievous crime for anyone to travel abroad to commit child abuse. Legislation was passed in Australia, but we want other countries to follow, and Ireland to take the lead in the EU on this.
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