Sex offenders should get proper treatment

THE suspension of the sex offenders programme at Arbour Hill Prison is a backward step in the prison service.

The programme may be of little significance to some people, but it was a major help to those who needed it most. For years I have been calling for a better rehabilitation programme for sex offenders, particularly during my time as chairman of the South Cork Health Committee of the Southern Health Board.

As a result of the many sexual assaults we hear about every day, the time has come for the Minister for Justice to introduce a comprehensive programme run by trained personnel to deal with the problem of sex offenders and to set up fully equipped and staffed treatment units to aid rehabilitation.