Laois bucks national trend with reduction in recorded hate crimes

Laois Offaly bucked the national trend and recorded a reduction in recorded hate crimes and related incidents last year. 

An Garda Síochána published figures on Hate Crimes and Hate Related (non-crime) Incidents reported during 2024 earlier today. 

This is the fourth such publication having previously published figures for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The incidents are recorded across nine discriminatory motives which are age, race, colour, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, disability and religion. As some incidents have more than one discriminatory motive, 732 discriminatory motives were recorded last year. This is up from 696 in 2023, 617 in 2022 and 483 in 2021.

In Laois Offaly in 2024, Gardaí recorded 11 incidents which was a drop from the 13 recorded in 2023. 

While gardaí do not provide specific numbers in Laois Offaly for recorded hate crimes, the 11 incidents included acts such as assault, criminal damage and public order which would be classed as criminal.

Motives for the incidents across Laois Offaly were categorised as nationality, age, disability, race and sexual orientation. 

A total 676 hate crimes and hate related (non-crime) incidents were recorded in Ireland in 2024 - up from 651 in 2023

Gardaí said race was the  most prevalent discriminatory motive (39% of all motives) and has increased from (36%) in 2023. In 2024, anti-nationality increased to a quarter of all motives compared to 18% in 2023.

Despite being the third highest motive in hate incidents during 2023 and 2024, anti-sexual orientation has declined year on year (70 in 2024; 109 in 2023).

Once again during 2024, hate motives were evident in a variety of reported crime incident types. The largest percentage being recorded in public order (31%), minor assaults (22%) and criminal damage not by fire (16%) and assault causing harm (7%).

In collating and assessing this data, the Garda Síochána Analysis Service has noted that ‘Murder threats to kill or cause serious harm’ has featured higher this year - 27 incidents with a hate motive (5% of all hate crime incidents).

As was the case in the previous three years, just under half of all hate related incidents occurred in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, however, there has been a year-on-year reduction. The three other operational regions recorded were Eastern (18%), Southern (17%) and North-Western (16%) which was also much lower than in the previous twelve months.

Welcoming the publication of the 2024 statistics Chief Superintendent, Community Engagement, Padraic Jones said: "While these figures do indicate a further increase in the number of people that come forward to An Garda Síochána and report an incident of crime which was motivated by hate, we recognise that hate related crime is still underreported in Ireland.

"When a person or group is targeted because of a fundamental characteristic it is a stain on all of society. Together we must continue to reject hate and discrimination and consistently remind one another that everyone has a right to live safely and free from prejudice. Incidents of this nature are not and never will be acceptable.

"I really encourage anyone that has experienced an incident of crime which has been motivated by hate to please come forward and report your experience – I assure you that we will support you in any way that we can,” said Chief Supt Jones.

An Garda Síochána said it is continuing in its efforts to strengthen its network of diversity officers to support victims and those affected by hate discrimination in communities around Ireland.

At present there are over 500 Garda Diversity Officers working across the country who engage with minority communities and individuals on a daily basis to provide them with re-assurance and address issues of concern for them.

In collaboration with the University of Limerick, An Garda Síochána to encourage and facilitate Garda personnel to undertake a certificate programme in human rights and policing in Ireland.

By the beginning of 2025, thousands of Garda personnel at all ranks and grades had undertaken this course. The course has also been undertaken by personnel from the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, the Belgian Federal Police and Tanzanian Police.

READ ALSO: Laois flood relief schemes taking too long

Gardaí are asking those working in community based groups, schools, clubs, the voluntary sector and non-governmental groups who have not already done so to subscribe to the third party referral process. This will have the benefit of further increasing reporting of hate crime to An Garda Síochána.