Children and teenagers at risk of becoming sex offenders are being neglected by major gaps in the health service, it was claimed today.

The electronic tagging of high-risk sex offenders is being considered by Government, it emerged tonight.

THERAPISTS have backed a controversial plan to cut prison time for sex offenders who take part in treatment programmes - despite admitting offenders will only enrol for selfish reasons.

WE are still living in a country with a Tír na n-Óg attitude to time, at least in a legal context. Why else would one of the most evil men who was ever forced into an Irish courtroom serve just nine years of the 238 years he earned for his horrific crimes?

IN 1995 he was sentenced to 238 years imprisonment, the longest sentence in Irish legal history, today he walks free.