According to figures from the Irish Prison Service (IPS), only two sex offenders received jail terms of 15 years to 20 years during the time in question. A further 14 received prison terms of between 10 and 15 years.
The figures show that 57 sex offenders received jail terms of two years and less, including 23 sex offenders who received jail terms of one year and less.
The figures released in response to a Freedom of Information request show that a further 66 received jail terms of between two and five years with 48 receiving jail terms of between five and 10 years.
The Prison Service response states there are currently 433 sex offenders imprisoned, of which 325 are jailed at the Midlands prison and 102 at Arbour Hill prison.
The figures provided by the IPS show that 37 sex offenders have been jailed during the first six months of this year.
The decrease is partly down to the Covid-19 impact on the court system, which has prevented a large number of trials from proceeding this year.
Commenting of the 2019 figures, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Noeleen Blackwell said on Tuesday that, without knowing the exact offence in each case it is difficult to comment on the sentences imposed. However, she said the numbers sentenced and currently in jail “still seems extraordinary small given the level of sexual violence that is happening out there and it points to the extreme low level of reporting by victims”.
Ms Blackwell said: “We have a system that is not hearing most of the sexual offences crimes happening in the country.”
“The Justice system has not made the accommodations for those victims that it needs to make and as long as it fails to do that, our prison population will not properly reflect the level of criminality of sexual offences taking place in the country,” she said, adding that the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had just over 7,000 first contact calls last year.
Ms Blackwell also expressed concern that there remains a very low percentage of sex offenders who undergo treatment in prison. “A lot of sex offenders are leaving prison at the end of their sentences without any insight into their crimes and the harm done.”
