The number of rape and sexual assault cases heard by the Central Criminal Court increased by more than 30 per cent last year while murder cases fell by 6 per cent, according to the annual report of the Courts Service.
The report also reveals a massive 350 per cent increase in the number of personal injuries cases brought before the High Court, despite the establishment of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) in 2004.
There was little change in the number of new murder cases with 33 brought before the courts in 2006, down from 35 in 2005, a decrease of 6 per cent.
There was, however, a substantial increase in the number of new rape and sexual assault cases, with 58 cases last year, up from 44 in 2005.
The reason for the one-third increase is unclear; a change in the law in the late 1990s which broadened the definition of rape led to a sharp rise in the number of cases before the Central Criminal Court in 1998 and 1999. However, numbers had stabilised in recent years.
The information officer for the Courts Service, Helen Priestley, said additional court sittings may have contributed to the increase.
"The fact that the court is now sitting in various places around the country, and waiting times for rape cases to be heard have reduced from 18 months a couple of years ago to eight months now, has probably made a difference."
In these cases 60 per cent of defendants entered a guilty plea. Of the remaining trials that went before a judge and jury two-thirds resulted in a conviction.
The number of civil cases opened in the High Court increased by 17.5 per cent last year.
This was largely due to the dramatic increase in the number of personal injuries cases coming before the courts.
PIAB was established to stop the courts system becoming congested by injuries claims and to have a moderating effect on awards.
All personal injuries claims must initially come before PIAB and can only be taken to the courts if one or other party is unhappy with the ruling.
The courts were faced with a large number of claims in 2003-2004 from parties seeking to have their cases heard in court before PIAB began hearings. There was a substantial reduction in 2005 when the High Court was presented with 746 new claims cases, but in 2006 claimants returned to the High Court in their droves with 2,673 cases brought, an increase of 350 per cent.
Applications for a change of name by deed poll, the preserve of the High Court, increased by one-third last year, from 1,885 in 2005 to 2,504 in 2006.
The increase was largely due to the growing number of applications from non-Irish nationals seeking name changes, the Courts Service said.
Figures for the Circuit Court showed that juries in Dublin were more likely to convict than juries in the rest of the State.
Less than 6 per cent of defendants were acquitted by a Dublin jury compared with 10 per cent nationally.
The District Court sent 21,000 people to prison last year.
Drugs-related offences accounted for the most significant increase in District Court criminal cases with 8,842 cases dealt with, up 26 per cent on 2005.
Court service statistics 2006
Supreme Court
The number of appeals lodged increased by 9 per cent. There was a 100 per cent increase in appeals against asylum application rulings from 12 in 2005 to 24 in 2006. There were 10 family law appeals, up from 4 in 2005.
Central Criminal Court
One-third increase in the number of rape and sexual assault cases. Murder cases decreased by 6 per cent.
High Court
350 per cent increase in personal injuries cases. Divorce applications increased by almost 25 per cent.
Summonses for tax-related offences increased by 30 per cent.
Circuit Court
In criminal cases 79 per cent of defendants pleaded guilty, down from 85 per cent in 2005. Almost 7 per cent of all defendants were acquitted.
District Court
Drugs-related cases increased by 26 per cent, larceny cases by 16 per cent and road traffic cases increased by 16 per cent.
