NEARLY 70 rapists, paedophiles and other sex offenders have moved to Ireland from overseas in the past five years, gardaí have confirmed.

All offenders with convictions for sex crimes overseas are obliged to sign on with their local garda station once they arrive in the state.

However, even though 69 convicted criminals have voluntarily approached gardaí and notified them of their presence, at least seven other sex offenders have failed to do so.

According to figures from the Department of Justice, seven sexual predators have been investigated for failing to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offenders Act 2001. Six of them have since left the state and escaped prosecution while one remained in Ireland and was prosecuted.

A total of 1,093 people in Ireland are now on the sex offenders register and are obliged to sign on with gardaí and notify them of any change of address. Most of the 69 who have come from abroad arrived from the UK and US.

According to the figures, seven rapists, paedophiles and other sex criminals have come into the state this year. Eight arrived in 2008.

In previous years, the figures have been far higher, with 17 and 18 sex offenders landing in Ireland in 2007 and 2006 respectively. An un­known number of sex offenders are also likely to have travelled here without the knowledge of gardaí.

Of the 1,093 convicted criminals on the list, fewer than five are women, according to garda sources familiar with the register. It is also understood that around 40 of the offenders are priests or members of other religious orders.