The Central Statistics Office has published the crime statistics for Q4, 2019 as well as the annualised totals for last year, which show a decrease in both robberies and burglaries and related offences. 

Sexual offences, fraud, deception and related offences, drugs offences, and weapons and explosives offences all showed an increase.

Homicides are down on the 2018 figure, but there was an increase in recorded incidents of attempted murder, threats to murder, and assaults causing harm.

Downward trend

Justice minister Charlie Flanagan welcomed the downward trend in homicide offences, which fell by 15 from 2018 to 2019.

Noting the 3.9% increase in sexual offences, representing a total of 3,307 recorded offences in 2019, the minister said he continued to urge all victims of sexual offences to come forward and report their experience to An Garda Síochána, which has set up 15 divisional protective services units to investigate sexual crime. 

Drugs offences increased in a number of categories.

Controlled drug offences rose by 17.3% in 2019 compared with 2018, with an increase both in possession for sale or supply, as well as possession of drugs for personal use.

The minister said the figure reflected the increased number of gardaí on the frontline, and the concentrated work of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

Supply of drugs

“The 100% increase in recorded instances of drugs importation again shows that An Garda Síochána, in partnership with other relevant agencies nationally and internationally, are having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland,” he said.

Minister Flanagan continued: “I am particularly concerned at the substantial increase in the number of recorded incidents of driving while under the influence of drugs (up over 142% for 2019). 

“This is in stark contrast with the downward trend in incidents of driving while over the legal alcohol limit (down by 6.7% in 2019).

He said that the public should recognise the deep harm linked with recreational use of drugs, because the purchase and use of illegal drugs by otherwise law-abiding people directly fuelled organised and violent crime.

Scourge

“I urge those who engage in recreational use of illegal drugs to exercise their personal responsibility and to stop supporting violent crime in this way. 

"We all have a part to play in reducing this scourge.”  

The number of recorded prostitution offences has increased from 37 in 2018 to 113 in 2019.

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 expanded prostitution-related offences through providing for two new offences of paying for sexual activity with a prostitute, and paying for sexual activity with a trafficked person.

Soliciting

The act also removed those who offer their services as a prostitute from the existing offences of soliciting for prostitution.

Minister Flanagan said that the act would be reviewed this year to include consideration of the number of arrests and convictions in respect of the new offences, as well as an assessment of its impact on the welfare of those who engage in sexual activity for payment.

There has been an increase of over 26% in fraud, deception and related offences compared with 2018.

Consistency

Since 2018, changes have been made to the Pulse system to improve the quality and consistency of recording of insurance-related crime.

There are now over 14,750 gardaí nationwide – the highest number in the history of the State. These gardaí are supported by almost 3,000 civilian staff.

The full statistics can be seen at www.cso.ie.