Crime Statistics in Ireland 2025 | Key Facts

Crime in Ireland 2025

The crime landscape across Ireland in 2025 continues to evolve with shifting patterns that reflect both positive developments and emerging challenges for communities nationwide. Based on verified data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the official statistical authority for Ireland, recent figures demonstrate that recorded crime incidents have fallen for most offence categories when comparing the year to Quarter 2 (Q2) 2025 with the same period in 2024. This represents an encouraging trend for law enforcement and public safety initiatives across the country. The CSO lifted the ‘Under Reservation’ categorisation around Recorded Crime Statistics in October 2023, meaning users can now rely on the accuracy of these figures with greater confidence following sustained improvements in data quality measures implemented by An Garda Síochána.

However, the picture is not uniformly positive across all crime categories in Ireland 2025. While traditional property crimes like robbery and burglary have declined significantly, there has been a notable increase in sexual offences by 17%, along with rises in public order violations, assaults, and weapons-related incidents. The data reveals 74,292 recorded crime incidents of theft and related offences in the year to Q2 2025, highlighting that shoplifting and property crimes remain persistent challenges. Understanding these statistics is crucial for policymakers, community organizations, and residents who want to grasp the current state of public safety and make informed decisions about crime prevention strategies. The comprehensive data collected through the PULSE system (Police Using Leading Systems Effectively) provides the most reliable snapshot of criminal activity patterns throughout the Republic of Ireland.

Key Crime Facts and Statistics in Ireland 2025

Data Source: Central Statistics Office (CSO) Ireland – Recorded Crime Q2 2025 & Q1 2025 Official Releases

The table above presents the most recent verified crime statistics for Ireland in 2025, drawn exclusively from official CSO publications released throughout the year. The data demonstrates significant fluctuations across different crime categories, with the most dramatic decrease occurring in homicide and related offences at 42%, primarily attributed to a substantial reduction in dangerous driving leading to death incidents. Conversely, the 17% surge in sexual offences represents one of the most concerning trends, with the number of incidents climbing to 3,881 in Q2 2025. This increase may partially reflect improved reporting mechanisms and greater public awareness about sexual violence rather than solely an increase in actual occurrences.

The theft statistics reveal that while there has been a 30% increase compared to 2022 figures, the numbers have stabilized in recent quarters, with 74,292 incidents recorded in the year to Q2 2025 compared to 75,980 in the year to Q2 2024. This stabilization suggests that the post-pandemic surge in property crime may be plateauing. Meanwhile, the 42% reduction in homicide and related offences provides reassurance regarding the most serious category of violent crime, though it’s important to note that dangerous driving deaths can be subject to revision over time as investigations conclude. The 6,101 victims of assault and harassment offences in Q2 2025 remained virtually unchanged from the previous year, indicating consistency in this category despite the 4% increase in overall incident numbers.

Homicide and Serious Violent Crime in Ireland 2025

Homicide offences in Ireland 2025 have witnessed a remarkable decline, representing one of the most positive developments in the country’s crime statistics. According to the Central Statistics Office, homicide and related offences decreased by 42% in the year to Q2 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. This substantial reduction was largely driven by a significant fall in the number of crime incidents classified as dangerous driving leading to death. When examining the year to Q1 2025, the figures showed an even more impressive 34% decrease in homicide-related incidents. The category of homicide and related offences encompasses murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, and dangerous driving causing death, making this decline particularly significant for public safety perceptions across Ireland.

Despite this encouraging overall trend, it’s important to understand the nuances within the data. Looking at the four-year period from 2022 to 2025, homicide and related offences actually showed an 8% increase, rising from 62 crime incidents in 2022 to 67 incidents in 2025 according to annualized Q1 data. This demonstrates that while recent quarterly comparisons show improvement, the longer-term trajectory requires continued vigilance. The CSO has cautioned that dangerous driving leading to death crime incidents can be revised over time as investigations progress and legal proceedings conclude, which means these figures may be subject to adjustment in future publications.

Data Source: CSO Ireland Recorded Crime Q1 2025 and Q2 2025 Releases

The regional distribution of homicide and related offences shows variation across Ireland’s four Garda regions in 2025. While specific homicide breakdowns by region are not published due to the sensitive nature and low numbers involved, the overall trend of decrease was observed across most regions. The Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), which typically accounts for a significant proportion of serious crime due to population density, has seen improvements in this category. The Eastern, Southern, and North Western regions have also contributed to the overall national decline in homicide-related incidents.

The 42% reduction in Q2 2025 represents the steepest single-quarter decline recorded in recent years, offering hope that Ireland’s approach to road safety enforcement, violence prevention initiatives, and community policing strategies are yielding tangible results. However, criminology experts caution against reading too much into short-term fluctuations, emphasizing the need to examine multi-year trends. The fact that homicide incidents rose by 8% over the four-year period from 2022 to 2025 suggests that while immediate progress is being made, sustained effort will be required to maintain these gains. An Garda Síochána continues to prioritize the investigation and prevention of serious violent crimes through specialized units and inter-agency cooperation with the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).

Sexual Offences in Ireland 2025

Sexual offences in Ireland 2025 have shown a concerning upward trajectory, representing one of the most significant increases across all crime categories. According to the Central Statistics Office, sexual offences rose by 17% in the year to Q2 2025, increasing from 3,304 incidents in the corresponding period of 2024 to 3,881 incidents in 2025. This represents an additional 577 reported incidents within a single year. When examining the Q1 2025 data, the increase was slightly lower at 15%, but still substantial enough to warrant serious attention from law enforcement, victim support services, and policymakers across Ireland.

The rise in reported sexual offences is a complex phenomenon that criminologists and law enforcement officials attribute to multiple factors. While some of the increase undoubtedly reflects actual incidents, a significant portion is believed to stem from improved reporting mechanisms, reduced stigma around coming forward, and greater public awareness campaigns encouraging victims to report sexual violence. The number of men reporting sexual offences to An Garda Síochána rose by more than half between 2023 and 2024, with a near doubling of male victims reporting historic incidents of sexual abuse, increasing from 333 in 2023 to 645 in 2024. This dramatic increase in male reporting indicates that previously hidden victimization is now being documented, suggesting the true scale of sexual violence in Ireland has long been underreported.

Data Source: CSO Ireland Recorded Crime Q2 2025, Q1 2025, and Annual 2024 Reports

The regional breakdown of sexual offences across Ireland in 2025 reveals that the increase was observed across all four Garda regions, with the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) and the Southern region experiencing the highest rates of increase. The DMR, encompassing Dublin city and its immediate surroundings, has consistently recorded higher absolute numbers of sexual offences due to its population density and urban environment. The Southern region, covering Cork, Kerry, Waterford, and surrounding areas, saw the second-highest rate of increase, raising questions about resource allocation for specialized sexual assault investigation units outside the capital.

The category of sexual offences encompasses a wide range of crimes including rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, and various offences against children. The 17% increase represents a worrying trend that demands a comprehensive response from Ireland’s criminal justice system. An Garda Síochána has established specialized Sexual Crime Management Units and Child Sexual Exploitation Units to handle these sensitive investigations with trained personnel. The Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) coordinates efforts nationally to ensure consistent standards in investigating sexual offences. Support services such as the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and regional Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATUs) have reported increased demand for their services in 2025, corroborating the statistical increases shown in the official crime data. Victim advocacy groups emphasize that while the rising numbers are concerning, they may ultimately represent progress in encouraging victims to come forward and seek justice.

Robbery, Theft and Property Crime in Ireland 2025

Property crime in Ireland 2025 presents a mixed picture with some categories declining while others remain persistently high. Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences showed significant improvement, declining by 14% in the year to Q2 2025, dropping to 2,186 incidents from 2,543 incidents in the same period of 2024. This represents a reduction of 357 robbery incidents over the year. The Q1 2025 data showed a similar trend with a 12% decrease in this category. However, when viewed over a longer timeframe, robbery offences remain elevated compared to 2022, showing a 14% increase from 1,924 crime incidents in 2022 to 2,186 in 2025 according to four-year annualized data.

Theft and related offences in Ireland 2025 remain the most common category of crime by a substantial margin. In the year to Q2 2025, there were 74,292 recorded crime incidents of theft and related offences. While this represents a slight 2% decrease from the 75,980 incidents recorded in the year to Q2 2024, the longer-term trend shows a dramatic increase. Compared to 2022 figures, theft offences have surged by 30%, representing an additional 17,278 incidents. The Q1 2025 data painted an even more concerning picture, with 74,102 recorded theft incidents representing a staggering 46% increase or 23,181 additional incidents compared to the same period in 2022.

Data Source: CSO Ireland Recorded Crime Q2 2025, Q1 2025, and Annual 2024 Reports

Burglary offences in Ireland 2025 have shown improvement following concerning increases in previous years. Burglary and related offences declined by 7% in the year to Q2 2025, continuing a downward trend that began earlier in the year. The Q1 2025 data showed a 6% decrease in burglaries. However, examining 2024 annual data, burglaries had risen by 10% in the twelve months up to September 2024, with 9,981 reported burglaries representing an average of more than 27 burglaries every day. This previous surge was driven primarily by non-aggravated burglary incidents, meaning burglaries that did not involve violence or threats against occupants.

The theft statistics reveal that shoplifting accounts for six out of every ten theft incidents driving the overall increase in this category. A total of 77,260 thefts were reported during the twelve-month period ending September 2024, representing an average of over 211 thefts per day across Ireland. The Convenience Stores and Newsagents’ Association has stated that the real figures behind theft increases are likely “much, much higher” as many retailers are reluctant to contact An Garda Síochána after incidents due to perceived inefficiencies in response times. This suggests the official statistics may underrepresent the true scale of shoplifting and retail crime affecting Irish businesses in 2025.

Regional variations in property crime across Ireland 2025 show distinct patterns. For robbery and extortion offences, the Southern region experienced the highest rate of decrease at 20%, followed by the Eastern region at 16%. The Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) and North Western region saw more modest declines of between 6% and 7%. For burglary offences, the North Western region showed the largest improvement with a 14% decrease, while the DMR and Eastern regions both recorded 6% reductions. These regional differences suggest that targeted policing strategies and community crime prevention initiatives are having varying levels of effectiveness across different parts of the country.

Assault, Harassment and Violent Crime in Ireland 2025

Assaults and harassment in Ireland 2025 have shown a modest but concerning increase according to official statistics. The category of attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences rose by 4% in the year to Q2 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The Q1 2025 data showed a 3% increase in this broad category. When examining the four-year trend from 2022 to 2025, these offences have risen by 12%, increasing from 22,106 crime incidents in 2022 to 24,690 incidents in 2025 according to annualized Q1 data. This sustained upward trajectory over multiple years suggests that violence and threatening behavior remain persistent challenges for Irish society.

The number of victims of assault and harassment offences provides additional insight into the human impact of these crimes. In Q2 2025, there were 6,101 victims of attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences, a figure that remained virtually unchanged from Q2 2024. However, the gender breakdown reveals interesting shifts. The number of male victims rose by 2% to 3,638, while the number of female victims fell by 3% to 2,463. This means that approximately 60% of assault victims in Ireland 2025 are male, a consistent pattern observed across multiple quarters.

Data Source: CSO Ireland Recorded Crime Q2 2025 and Q1 2025 Releases

The age profile of assault victims in Ireland 2025 reveals important patterns about vulnerability and risk factors. For male victims in Q2 2025, those aged 18-29 years showed the largest percentage change over the year, increasing by 11%. This age cohort typically has higher exposure to violence through nightlife, social interactions, and conflict situations. Among other male victim age groups, the change ranged from -2% to +2%, indicating relative stability. For female victims, the largest percentage change of +11% was observed for those aged 60 years or more when the incident occurred, raising concerns about elder abuse and violence against vulnerable older women. Female victims aged 45-59 years fell by 7% and those aged 18-29 years fell by 6%.

The Q1 2025 data showed somewhat different age patterns, with male victims aged 60 years or more showing the largest decrease at -13%, while female victims in this age group fell by -8%. Other notable changes in Q1 included a -6% fall in male victims both aged under 18 years and 45-59 years at the time of incidents. For female victims in Q1, there were increases of 3% and 2% respectively for those in the 30-44 and 45-59 year age groups. Despite these quarterly fluctuations, the overall age breakdown of male and female assault victims has remained relatively stable in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of each year since 2022, suggesting consistent patterns of victimization.

Regional variations in assault and harassment across Ireland 2025 show mixed experiences across the four Garda regions. The Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) saw a 9% rise in crime incidents involving attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences in 2024, while the Eastern region recorded a 6% increase. In contrast, the North-Western region showed a 3% decrease and the Southern region recorded a 5% fall in these offences during 2024. This divergence suggests that urban areas, particularly Dublin, face greater challenges with violent crime and antisocial behavior compared to more rural regions. The increases in the DMR may be linked to higher population density, nightlife economy, and social deprivation in certain areas of the capital.

Public Order and Weapons Offences in Ireland 2025

Public order offences in Ireland 2025 have shown a sustained increase, raising concerns about antisocial behavior and social disorder across the country. Public order and other social code offences rose by 6% in the year to Q2 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The Q1 2025 data showed a 5% increase in this category. Looking at 2024 annual figures, public order offences increased by 3%, reaching 30,092 incidents. The category of public order offences encompasses a wide range of behaviors including intoxication in public places, threatening, abusive or insulting behavior, disorderly conduct, and various breaches of the peace. The consistent increases across multiple quarters suggest that public disorder remains a persistent challenge for An Garda Síochána.

Weapons and explosives offences in Ireland 2025 have also risen steadily, representing a serious concern for public safety. These offences increased by 4% in the year to Q2 2025, reaching 3,007 recorded crime incidents. The Q1 2025 data showed a 3% increase in this category. When examining the four-year trend from 2022 to 2025, weapons and explosives offences have risen by 19%, increasing from 2,536 crime incidents in 2022 to 3,007 in 2025. This represents an additional 471 incidents involving dangerous weapons over the four-year period. The 2024 annual data showed an 11% increase in weapons offences, with 2,970 incidents recorded, highlighting the escalating nature of weapon-related crime.

Data Source: CSO Ireland Recorded Crime Q2 2025, Q1 2025, and Annual 2024 Reports

The regional distribution of public order offences in Ireland 2025 shows significant variation, with urban areas bearing the brunt of social disorder issues. The Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) recorded a 13% rise in public order and other social code offences during 2024, representing the highest regional increase. The Eastern region, encompassing commuter counties such as Kildare, Wicklow, and Meath, saw a 5% increase in these offences. The higher rates in the DMR are largely attributed to the concentration of nightlife establishments, entertainment districts, and areas with high footfall where alcohol-related antisocial behavior is more common. Weekend nights in Temple Bar, Camden Street, and other Dublin hotspots continue to see significant public order incidents.

Weapons offences across Ireland’s Garda regions in 2025 show a more complex pattern. The Dublin Metropolitan Region experienced an 8% increase in weapons and explosives offences during 2024, while the Southern region saw a 9% rise. Interestingly, the Eastern region recorded a 1% fall in weapons offences, bucking the national trend. The types of weapons involved range from firearms and ammunition to knives, bladed articles, and other offensive weapons. The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and the Firearms Acts 1925-2009 provide the legislative framework for prosecuting these offences.

The increase in weapons offences is particularly concerning when viewed alongside rising assault rates, suggesting a potential escalation in the severity of violent encounters. An Garda Síochána has intensified its focus on weapons through targeted operations, checkpoints, and intelligence-led policing strategies. The Garda National Drugs and Organized Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) works to disrupt the supply chains that bring illegal firearms into Ireland, while local units conduct stop-and-search operations in areas identified as weapons hotspots. Community safety partnerships and youth diversion programs aim to address the root causes that lead young people to carry knives or other weapons for perceived self-protection or status.

Burglary Trends and Regional Patterns in Ireland 2025

Burglary crime in Ireland 2025 has shown improvement in recent quarters following concerning increases in 2024. Burglary and related offences declined by 7% in the year to Q2 2025, providing relief to homeowners and businesses across the country. The Q1 2025 data showed a 6% decrease, indicating sustained progress in tackling this category of property crime. However, context is important when interpreting these figures. Throughout 2024, particularly in the twelve months up to September, burglaries had surged by 10%, with 9,981 reported burglary incidents recorded, representing more than 27 burglaries every single day across Ireland. The recent quarterly declines suggest that enhanced security measures, increased Garda patrols, and public awareness campaigns may be having their intended effect.

The majority of the burglary increase in 2024 related to non-aggravated burglaries, meaning break-ins that occurred when properties were unoccupied and did not involve violence or threats against residents. However, violent burglaries also increased by 15% during 2024, raising serious concerns about aggravated burglary where occupants were confronted or threatened. These terrifying incidents have significant psychological impacts on victims beyond the financial loss of stolen property. The decline in burglaries observed in Q1 and Q2 2025 encompasses both aggravated and non-aggravated incidents, though specific breakdowns are not always published due to sample sizes and data suppression rules.

Data Source: CSO Ireland Recorded Crime Q2 2025, Q1 2025, and Annual 2024 Reports

The regional breakdown of burglary trends in Ireland 2025 reveals fascinating geographic patterns. In Q1 2025, the North Western region showed the highest rate of decrease at -14%, followed by the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) and Eastern regions, both recording -6% reductions. This was a remarkable turnaround for the North Western region, which had experienced significant burglary increases in prior periods. The DMR, despite showing improvement in 2025, had the lowest rate of burglary increase during 2024 at just 5%, suggesting that urban security measures and higher Garda presence in the capital provide some protective effect.

The Southern region, encompassing Cork, Kerry, Waterford and surrounding areas, presents a particularly interesting case study. During 2024, this region recorded the highest burglary increase in the country at 23%, with an additional 345 burglaries compared to the previous year. This represented a significant security challenge for residents and businesses across Ireland’s second-largest city and its rural hinterlands. However, by Q1 2025, the region showed improvement in property crime categories, with damage to property and the environment offences showing the largest rate of decrease at -10%. While specific burglary data for the Southern region in Q2 2025 is not broken out separately, the national trend suggests improvement continued.

Divisional-level burglary data for 2024 revealed the extent of geographic variation across Ireland’s 28 Garda divisions. The combined Roscommon and Longford Garda division experienced the highest rate of increase in the country at 56%, with 277 burglaries recorded. Tipperary saw a 50% increase with 371 burglaries, Westmeath rose by 35% with 272 burglaries, Wicklow increased by 33% with 301 burglaries, and Limerick climbed 27% with 571 burglaries. These rural and semi-rural divisions were disproportionately affected, possibly due to isolated properties, longer Garda response times, and organized criminal groups targeting less secure premises.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

Email ID:

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email

Email *

SUBSCRIBE