Tusla received more than 1,100 referrals of child sexual abuse in the space of three months last year.
This is an increase of nearly 8% on the previous quarter.
In the first quarter of last year, the Child and Family Agency received 1,029 referrals relating to sexual abuse.
They come from a variety of sources, such as the HSE, the gardaí and schools.
By the second three months of last year, it had risen to 1,107 - continuing an increasing trend.
The highest number of referrals were in Cork, at 141, followed by 105 in the Mid-west, which is made up of Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary.
All areas of Dublin also have large numbers.
Eve Farrelly, from the Children at Risk in Ireland Foundation, believes there may be two reasons for the rising number.
Ms Farrelly said: "One, there is awareness with people about what's not okay and what to do when they see something that's not okay.
"I think the second reason why there is an increase in referrals is because we are having an awful lot of children who are being subject to seeing content online that is not appropriate for them to see and could be impacting them in a developmental way and this could present in a sexually harmful way with other children."
Tusla said there is no clear reason for the increasing referral rates, but said it could be down to the introduction of mandated reporting.
