There has been an increase in the number of young sex offenders attending for treatment at the One in Four service.

According to the organisation's annual report for 2013, almost a quarter of all offenders in its programme are young men aged between 18 and 25. The organisation says it represents "a marked rise" in the number of young offenders.

It says many of the young men began offending as adolescents by downloading child pornography, before moving on to abusing children themselves.

The group provided treatment to 30 sex offenders in 2013, working with the Child and Family Agency and gardaí.

The annual report also highlights that 115 clients attended individual and group therapy last year, and assistance was provided to 43 families. One in Four's advocacy officers supported 633 individuals.

Launching its annual report, Executive Director of One in Four Maeve Lewis says the problem of child sex abuse has not gone away:

She also explains that "there has been a noticeable improvement in the way in which Child and Family Agency social workers are dealing with allegations made by adults about childhood experiences of sexual abuse, with greater consistency across the country.

"Retrospective allegations are usually taken very seriously now, recognising that somebody who sexually abused a child fifteen years ago may well be continuing to harm children in the present," she added