Electronic Monitoring service provider, for 12 month pilot, requested through tender process.
The Irish Government is moving forward on its commitment to introduce electronic monitoring (EM) for appropriate categories of offenders.
Minister O’Callaghan committed to the publication of a Request for Tender (RFT) for the provision of an electronic monitoring service provider, same being sought by the end of 2025.
This Request for Tender has now been published.
The Department of Justice is tendering for an EM service provider for a 12-month pilot phase, which will focus on individuals on temporary release nationally and those admitted to bail in a pilot area.
It is proposed to utilise up to 50 electronic tags during this pilot phase. Electronic tagging is a form of surveillance that uses an electronic device affixed to a person to monitor their location or physiological state. It is a specific application of asset tracking technology where the “asset” being monitored is a person.
In some jurisdictions, an electronic tag fitted above the ankle is used for individuals as part of their bail or probation conditions. It is also used in healthcare settings and in immigration contexts. Electronic tagging can be used in combination with a GPS tracking unit for wide-area monitoring, but for short-range monitoring of a person, radio frequency technology is often used.
The pilot approach will allow for processes and procedures to be tested before a wider scale national rollout, while also supporting the agencies involved to build capability and knowledge of the EM system. Insights from the pilot will inform any future national rollout and procurement.
A fund of €2.1m in Budget 2026, for the project, will allow for staffing, procurement, and other set up costs.
The closing date for the RFT is January 16th 2026 at 5:00pm.
The Government has approved a €2.18 billion Sectoral Investment Plan for Justice for the period 2026–2030, with Tipperary set to benefit significantly through the delivery of the new Clonmel Garda station and further investment in Templemore Garda College.
The five-year capital package; an increase of more than €800 million on the previous National Development Plan for justice, will fund new Garda stations and courthouses, expanded prison capacity, major upgrades to Garda technology and cyber security, and modern infrastructure across the wider justice sector.
Major investment in Clonmel Garda Station Under the plan, the construction of the new Garda station at Kickham Barracks in Clonmel is confirmed as a priority capital project for An Garda Síochána.
Construction is already under way on the Clonmel station, with works to continue into the early years of the 2026–2030 programme. The new facility will replace the existing Emmet Street station, long acknowledged as no longer fit for purpose, and will provide modern, fit-for-purpose accommodation for Garda members and staff serving the Clare/Tipperary Garda Division.
The development will deliver:
A new district headquarters for Clonmel and its hinterland.
Enhanced custody and operational facilities to support frontline policing.
Dedicated space for community policing and engagement with local organisations and vulnerable groups.
Modern IT and security infrastructure in line with national Garda technology upgrades.
Templemore Garda College to benefit. The plan also confirms substantial capital investment in Garda College, Templemore, strengthening its role at the heart of Garda training and continuous professional development. This will support the recruitment and training of additional Gardaí and ensure facilities in Templemore remain modern and fit for growing class sizes over the lifetime of the NDP.
Nationally, the €2.18 billion Sectoral Investment Plan for Justice will deliver:
€495 million for the Irish Prison Service to increase prison capacity, including major construction projects at facilities such as Castlerea, Cloverhill, Mountjoy, Portlaoise, Wheatfield, Midlands, Dóchas and Cork prisons, as well as planning for a new prison at Thornton, Co Dublin A further €32 million for prison fleet and technology. €460 million for Garda technology, including the nationwide roll-out of body-worn cameras, a digital evidence management system, core policing systems and upgraded HR and corporate ICT. €364 million for Garda buildings, funding the completion of new stations in Portlaoise, Newcastle West and Bailieborough, and progressing new builds in Clonmel, Macroom, Castletroy, Carndonagh and a new Dublin North regional headquarters, alongside investment in Templemore Garda College. €35 million for a rolling programme of minor refurbishments to Garda stations nationwide – including accessibility, health and safety and essential infrastructure works – and €69 million for the Garda fleet, supporting expansion, modernisation and electrification, as well as the delivery of a second new Garda helicopter, further drone capability and upgraded facilities for the equine and canine units.
Strengthening community safety in Tipperary.
For Tipperary, the combination of a new divisional headquarters in Clonmel and ongoing investment in Templemore Garda College represents the largest single capital boost for policing in the county in decades. The Government says these projects will:
Enhance visible policing and response capability across South Tipperary and the wider Clare/Tipperary Division
Provide modern working conditions for Garda members and staff
Support recruitment and training of additional Gardaí destined for frontline duties in Tipperary and beyond
Underpin the delivery of safer, stronger communities through better facilities, technology and infrastructure
The Department of Justice has said that the overall plan will ensure that communities in Tipperary, urban and rural, will see tangible benefits from the record national investment in the justice sector over the coming five years.
National Cyber Security Centre Launches 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment revealing Escalating Threat Landscape.
Rapidly evolving cyber risks put country’s critical infrastructure at risk.
Today (December 2nd) the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) launched its 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment. This is a comprehensive review of the cyber threats, systemic risks, and sectoral vulnerabilities facing the State.
Launched at the NCSC’s annual conference, the assessment provides the most detailed national overview to date of Ireland’s cyber risk environment and builds on the foundation laid by the 2022 assessment.
The assessment identifies key developments in the national and global cyber threat landscape, including increasingly sophisticated nation-state activity, the accelerating pace of cybercrime, and the growing likelihood of cascading impacts across interconnected sectors such as energy, transport, healthcare, and financial services.
Key findings of the 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment include:
As technology has advanced and reliance on digitalisation has intensified, the cyber threat landscape has become more complex with an increased risk of incidents, leading to significant cross sectoral impacts.
Taking an all-hazards approach, the 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment has identified three key systemic risks:
The dynamic geopolitical environment,
Evolving technology and its implications on security.
Supply chain security.
If any or all these risks were to be realised, it could undermine Ireland’s delivery of essential services, disrupt its critical sectors, and erode trust in government, institutions, and organisations.
To mitigate Ireland’s identified risks, five recommendations have been identified:
Strengthen visibility and detection – investing systems and structures to enhance national visibility will reduce systemic blind spots and allow the State to be better positioned to anticipate and respond to risks before they escalate.
Implement proactive cyber defence capabilities – reactive responses alone are not sufficient to protect society and the economy from the potential cascading effects of attacks on critical systems. Ireland must enhance its proactive cyber defence posture, disrupting the cyber-attack lifecycle earlier to prevent incidents at scale.
Enhance national resilience –by implementing EU frameworks in full and extending resilience beyond infrastructure to society itself, Ireland will ensure that both services and democratic institutions remain robust in the face of systemic cyber risks.
Secure critical supply chains – the State must strengthen our supply chain through strengthening procurement rules in government, embed security-by-design and risk management practices, and increase visibility of vendor ownership.
Invest in national cyber resilience – investment in people, innovation and our indigenous industrial base will ensure that Ireland has the capacity not just to respond to today’s threats but to anticipate and shape the next generation of resilience measures.
These recommendations provide a framework for the next National Cyber Security Strategy, ensuring that systemic vulnerabilities are reduced and national resilience strengthened.
The 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment is now available HERE.
A powerful new advert from the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in Ireland, part of the “Pause Before You Post” initiative, has been making waves online.
As shown hereunder, the film begins as an innocent family stroll through a shopping centre, with a mother, father and young daughter. What starts out as a normal outing quickly becomes unsettling, as strangers begin greeting the child by name and mentioning intimate details of her life, information that, in the scenario, was gleaned from her parents’ social-media posts.
As the tension builds, one stranger even downloads a photo of the girl, a chilling visual that underlines the core message of the campaign: every time you share your child’s life online, you risk sharing their personal data with the world.
What the campaign warns about:
According to the DPC, the ordinary act of “sharenting”; posting photos, videos or personal data about children, can unintentionally build a permanent digital footprint for them. This may include names, dates of birth, images, friends, locations, clubs or routines, all shared without a child’s consent or understanding.
The campaign highlights four principal risks: (1) Misuse of images/data, photos and videos may be downloaded, reused or manipulated, possibly even turned into harmful content, such as deepfakes or child-sexual-abuse material. (2) Unwanted contact or exposure to strangers, information such as routines, clubs or locations can make children vulnerable. (3) Long-term digital footprint & privacy loss, once shared, data can remain publicly accessible indefinitely; children may lose control over how their childhood memories are used or perceived. (4) Potential identity/fraud risks, shared personal data can facilitate identity theft or fraud, especially if combined with other publicly available information.
What parents and guardians should consider: The DPC doesn’t call for an outright ban on sharing children’s photos or memories, instead, it urges caution and mindfulness.
Key advice includes: Pause and reflect: Before posting, consider whether you’d be comfortable if a stranger knew this information about your child. Share selectively: Use private channels, close family groups or private messaging, rather than public social-media posts. Minimise identifiable info: Avoid posting names, dates of birth, school, clubs, routines — information that can be combined to build a picture of a child’s identity. Wait for consent: As children grow older, involve them in decisions about what’s shared. Their agency over their own digital footprint deserves respect.
Why the ad feels like a horror-movie and why that matters:
What makes “Pause Before You Post” especially striking is how it transforms a mundane, everyday moment into something deeply unsettling. That sense of normality turned on its head, strangers knowing things about your child you only shared with friends or family, evokes the same kind of dread that horror films aim for. That visceral reaction is the campaign’s intent; to force parents to confront the hidden risks of everyday oversharing. The shock is deliberate. It grabs attention and once you feel that discomfort, you can start to see just how easy it is to build a lasting digital “record” for a child, one over which they may have little future control.
The Blink Outdoor 4, a wireless HD smart security camera with a two-year battery life and IP65 weatherproof rating, has to stands out this Black Friday as one of the most compelling home-security bargains online. With this 2-camera system bundled with the Sync Module Core, now reportedly reduced by around 59%, the value proposition is hard to ignore.
In a season when home burglaries tend to rise, particularly over darker winter evenings and especially around Christmas, when homes may be unoccupied or gifts visible through windows, investing in reliable external surveillance is increasingly prudent.
Long battery life & low maintenance: Blink claims up to two years on two AA lithium batteries, a rare advantage among battery-powered outdoor cameras. Hassle-free, wireless installation: The wireless design avoids messy complicated wiring, making it easy for homeowners to place cameras where they are most needed. Weather resistance & durability: With IP65 rating, Blink Outdoor 4 is built to withstand rain, wind, and cold, essential for Irish winter conditions. Good video quality & effective motion detection: Users in the Thurles area report satisfactory 1080p HD video and reliable motion-activated alerts.
Local storage option (no mandatory subscription): The included Sync Module Core allows for local USB storage, (latter not included but can be purchased cheaply HERE) giving homeowners control over their surveillance footage without needing to pay for a cloud plan.
Why this deal matters, especially now: With many discounts across the board this Black Friday, the steep reduction in price makes Blink Outdoor 4 a very attractive entry point for homeowners seeking upgraded security, especially for those living alone, in a period where opportunistic burglaries tend to increase. The balance of ease of installation, decent video quality, weather-proofing and low maintenance makes it a very sound choice for people who want visible deterrence and peace of mind, without investing in a fully wired CCTV system.
Given the current price drop, this looks very much like one of the “best deals online” for outdoor, battery-powered home-security cameras.
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