Head of sexual violence centre calls for sex offenders to be named

The head of the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork Mary Crilly is calling for convicted sex offenders to be named.

Currently offenders are not named to protect the anonymity of their victim.

However, Ms Crilly has said local communities have a right to know if a convicted sexual offender is living among them.

She said sex offenders are afforded more protection than any other type of offender.

Ms Crilly said: "What is so particular or special about sex offenders that they have this privilege where they serve the time without anybody knowing about them and they're still not named?

"A young man who goes out and gets involved in something last night, or has done something when he is younger - or a young woman - they are named.

"They are not given the opportunity in court of not being named, no matter what they did.

"So why are we doing this for sex offenders - why are we protecting them so much?"