Gardaí report a modest increase in hate crimes, with race and nationality as leading motives, while urging greater community trust to combat under-reporting.
In 2024, An Garda Síochána recorded 676 hate crimes and hate-related incidents, a slight rise from 651 the previous year, according to newly released figures. Despite the uptick, the force emphasized that hate-related crimes remain significantly under-reported in Ireland, calling for greater public engagement to address the issue. The data reveals persistent patterns of discrimination, with race and nationality as the dominant motives, while incidents targeting sexual orientation saw a decline.
Geographically, Dublin remained the epicenter of hate-related incidents, hosting just under half of all cases, consistent with trends over the past three years. The eastern garda district accounted for 18% of incidents, followed by the southern region at 17% and the northwestern division at 16%. However, these figures reflect a decline compared to 2023.
An Garda Síochána has also intensified its community outreach, with 500 diversity officers nationwide working daily to support minority communities. These officers aim to build trust, provide reassurance, and address concerns, according to a Garda statement. Chief Superintendent for Community Engagement Padraic Jones stressed the importance of this network in combating hate and discrimination, stating, “When a person or group is targeted because of a fundamental characteristic, it is a stain on all of society.”
He also sought to dispel the misconception that hate crimes are always “high-level” incidents, explaining that they often reflect the lived experiences of diverse minority communities who contribute to Ireland’s workforce and society. “At its simplest, you would hope and expect that people would treat others the way they’d like to be treated themselves,” he added.
In 2024, An Garda Síochána recorded 676 hate crimes and hate-related incidents, a slight rise from 651 the previous year, according to newly released figures. Despite the uptick, the force emphasized that hate-related crimes remain significantly under-reported in Ireland, calling for greater public engagement to address the issue. The data reveals persistent patterns of discrimination, with race and nationality as the dominant motives, while incidents targeting sexual orientation saw a decline.
Breakdown of Hate Crime Motives
Race continued to be the most common discriminatory motive, increasing from 36% of cases in 2023 to 39% in 2024. Discrimination based on nationality also rose sharply, accounting for 25% of incidents in 2024, up from 18% the previous year. Meanwhile, hate crimes related to sexual orientation dropped from 109 incidents in 2023 to 70 in 2024. The Garda analysis service highlighted that 27 cases involved “murder threats to kill or cause serious harm,” underscoring the severity of some incidents.Geographically, Dublin remained the epicenter of hate-related incidents, hosting just under half of all cases, consistent with trends over the past three years. The eastern garda district accounted for 18% of incidents, followed by the southern region at 17% and the northwestern division at 16%. However, these figures reflect a decline compared to 2023.
Legislative Changes and Garda Efforts
Last year, Ireland introduced tougher penalties for crimes motivated by hatred, addressing a gap in EU standards. Former Minister for Justice Helen McEntee noted at the time that Ireland had been “one of the few remaining EU countries not to have specific hate crime offences set out in law.” The new legislation has increased prison sentences for such offenses, aiming to deter discriminatory acts.An Garda Síochána has also intensified its community outreach, with 500 diversity officers nationwide working daily to support minority communities. These officers aim to build trust, provide reassurance, and address concerns, according to a Garda statement. Chief Superintendent for Community Engagement Padraic Jones stressed the importance of this network in combating hate and discrimination, stating, “When a person or group is targeted because of a fundamental characteristic, it is a stain on all of society.”
Under-Reporting Remains a Challenge
Despite the slight increase in reported incidents, Jones acknowledged that hate crimes are still under-reported. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he identified anti-race sentiment as the primary driver of reported hate crimes, closely followed by nationality and sexual orientation. He urged victims to come forward, emphasizing that gardaí are committed to supporting them. “We hope and encourage that we can convince people to continue to report to us and have faith in the gardaí to progress those investigations,” Jones said.He also sought to dispel the misconception that hate crimes are always “high-level” incidents, explaining that they often reflect the lived experiences of diverse minority communities who contribute to Ireland’s workforce and society. “At its simplest, you would hope and expect that people would treat others the way they’d like to be treated themselves,” he added.
