The number of new sexual offences has increased by 13.6%, according to the Courts Service's annual report for 2024.
A total of 3,650 new sexual offences were received by the District Court last year, up from 3,211 the previous year.
Overall, 390,158 new criminal matters were presented to the courts last year an increase of 6.3 % on the previous year.
The report shows that 62% of the 434 sentences handed down for rape, including attempted rape, range from 10 years to life imprisonment.
This number was made up of 177 prison sentences, 242 other prison sentences partly suspended and 14 detention orders for juveniles.
Of the 434 sentences for rape, nine attracted a life sentence, 261 received over ten years imprisonment, 106 between five and ten years and 54 between two and five years.
Larceny, fraud, robbery, public order, and assault cases increased last year according to the figures.
Larceny, fraud, and robbery cases were up 15.4% year on year.
While statistics show that public order and assault cases increased of 9.6%.
When asked does this reflect an unsafe society, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said that there is a difference between the court service figures and crime statistics that were recently published.
"I suppose the court figures that you look at today reflect the number of cases that came before the courts in 2024, so many of the prosecutions referred to with it are in respect of offenses that would have taken place the year before or endured years before if there were indictable offence" he said.
"I don't think the court service report gives an accurate indication of the current levels of crime. That's more apparent from the crime statistics that came out last week" Minister O’Callaghan said.
"But what it does show is that the courts are extremely busy, and we need to ensure in government that we resource the courts service and indeed the judiciary, to ensure that those cases can be determined and concluded" he added.
Minister 'actively' working to increase number of judges
Twenty additional judges by January 2026 have been promised by Government.
Minister O’Callaghan said he’s "actively" working with his department on this.
The report also shows that road traffic offences increased by 8.6% however, over six years it reflects an 18% reduction.
New legislation introduced also impacted the courts service last year.
For example, laws for stalking and restraining orders came into effect in September 2024.
In the first four months of operations, District Courts saw 314 applications received while 133 full restraining orders were granted.
108 interim orders were granted.
Overall, more than 390,000 new criminal matters were presented to the courts last year.
That’s an increase of 6.3% on the previous year.
Cases at the Central Criminal Court, which largely deals with murder, attempted murder, and rape cases, remain 35% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The annual report from the court service also shows that personal injury awards reduced by over 45% last year, when compared with 2023.
Statistics also show a 41% decrease in personal injury cases.
Drug cases in the District Court were reduced by 16.5% over six years.
New civil cases across all courts increased to almost 184,000 last year.
That is up on 4,000 when compared with 2023 or an increase in new civil cases of 31% over four years.
Most of the increases in the civil area occurred in the High Court where over 21,000 new cases were initiated last year.
Over two years the High Court has seen an increase in new cases of 33%.
Divorce cases applied for last year totalled 5,004 which is down from 5,218 in 2023 and 5,551 in 2022.
