In Ireland, stalking is covered under"harassment": any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, by any means including by use of the telephone, harasses another by persistently following, watching, pestering, besetting or communicating with him or her, shall be guilty of an offence. A person harasses another where (a) he or she, by his or her acts intentionally or recklessly, seriously interferes with the other's peace and privacy or causes alarm, distress or harm to the other, and (b) his or her acts are such that a reasonable person would realise that the acts would seriously interfere with the other's peace and privacy or cause alarm, distress or harm to the other.
Legal Source
Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997, Section 10 (1) and (2)
Observations
Whilst the term stalking is not specifically used, the concept is considered to be encompassed by this harassment provision. The Law Reform Commission of Ireland is currently considering the adequacy of section 10. A discussion or consultation paper is anticipated shortly in relation to their consideration of the provision and it is expected that their paper will also consider whether stalking should be specifically provided for in legislation.