Only five counties have recorded attempts to prosecute for coercive control since the offence was introduced three years ago.

Coercive control is 'controlling, coercive and threatening behaviour' by a partner and has been a crime under the Domestic Violence Act since 2019.

The DPP has approved just 21 prosecutions for the offence since January 2019, with suspects in Dublin, Donegal, Meath, Monaghan and Offaly.

Criminal barrister and Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward said the new figures are disappointing.

“What is interesting in the figures is they are not spread evenly across the country,” he said.

“So, of the 21, they cover only five counties and you would have to wonder what is happening in the other counties.

“Are complaints not being made? Are they not being investigated? But whatever the case, we would like to think there would be more activity on foot of the coercive control law which is under the Domestic Violence Act of 2018 and we would like to think there would be more complaints and more activity.”

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre CEO Noeline Blackwell told Newstalk the offence was always going to be a 'slow burner' when it comes to court cases.

“As the legislation came in, it introduced a new type of crime which required the crime to prove a pattern of abusive behaviour that a reasonable person would recognise as abusive and controlling," she said.

“That pattern could only start to be identified on January 1st, 2019. So, a pattern takes time to build up."

There have been only two convictions since the law was introduced, relating to offences in Donegal and Monaghan.