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The way sex offenders are rehabilitated in prisons needs to be radically overhauled, the Labour Party said today.

Earlier this week in the Dáil, in answer to a parliamentary question, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern revealed that out of 299 sex offenders currently serving sentences in Irish prisons, just eight are currently taking part in a rehabilitation programme.

Mr Ahern said a total of 136 individuals have completed the sex offender programme to date with the most recent group having finished the course in July.

The programme, which takes up to11 months to complete, can only cater for a maximum of eight offenders at a time.

Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, Mr Ahern said a Group involving his Department, the Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service had been established to review the existing arrangements for the management of sex offenders.

He also pointed out that staff levels in the Prison Service's psychology unit have doubled since 2004 and that the unit is currently recruiting an additional psychologist and three psychology assistants under way.

Mr Ahern has previously expressed concern over the number of sexual offenders offered treatment while in prison.

Official figures released in September revealed that out of 578 convicted sex offenders released from prison in the last five years, just 42 had completed a highly intensive rehabilitation programme.

The Labour Party today called on the Government to take radical action to ensure that more sex offenders are offered treatment.

Sexual offences are unique for a number of reasons, particularly with regard to the rate of reoffending, and need to be dealt with accordingly. In terms of combating and preventing such offences, a more sustained and long term approach is necessary," said Mary Upton TD.

"We need a clear strategy with regard to the sentence management of sex offenders, especially after release. Because of the high recidivism and the danger of repeat offending, such a strategy would be undertaken in connection with probation service where long tem intervention and preventative structures are put in place. This should be built into the sentencing approach," she added.