'Essential' that sex offenders can avail of interventions in prison

A chronic overcrowding crisis has emerged across Irish prisons and has put significant pressure on psychological services, not least in treating sex offenders.

Rape crisis centres have said it is “essential” that psychological interventions are available in prisons for sex offenders capable of, and willing to, engage.

It follows reports in the Irish Examiner on Monday revealing a massive increase — of almost 70% in the last five years — in the number of prisoners serving sentences for sex offences.