Kildare Sees Surge In Rape And Sexual Offences As Number Of Sex Offenders Released From Prison Climbs

Monday, 14 July 2025 15:32

By Martin Osborne

The highest year on record in Kildare was 2022, with 146 reported cases.

New figures show a dramatic rise in reported rape and sexual assault offences in Kildare over the past 20 years.

In 2003, 53 cases were recorded.

By 2024, that number had risen to 124 - more than doubling in two decades.

The figures show a steady upward trend, with some years seeing major spikes — including 2010, with 93 offences, and 2019, when cases jumped to 120.

The highest year on record was 2022, with 146 reported cases.

Last year, 124 reported rape and sexual assault offences were recorded in Kildare, up from 110 in 2023.

Figures obtained by Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú under the Freedom of Information Act from the Irish Prison Service also show a record number of sex offenders in Irish prisons.

As of May 31st, 2025, there were 800 sex offenders in custody nationwide – a 16% increase on the same date in 2024, when 692 offenders were imprisoned.

Meanwhile, the number of sex offenders released from prison also saw a sharp increase.

In 2024, 235 sex offenders were released – 34% more than in 2023.

By May 2025, 103 offenders had already been released.

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