Crime declines overall but incidents of rape and gun crime increase

The rate for most categories of crime in the Republic of Ireland declined last year, though serious sexual assaults and gun crime both increased.

There was also a significant increase in the number of murder threats, though the number of actual murders committed fell to 30, below which the murder rate has not fallen since 1995.

Of the 14 main categories the Central Statistics Office (CSO) collates crime data under, six showed increases last year, with eight decreasing.

However, the CSO’s crime data only captures crimes reported to the Garda or detected by the force, meaning the true level of offending is higher than the data suggests.

The new crime figures for last year show:

Homicide offences declined by 29 per cent to 57 cases last year. The biggest decline related to murders, which dropped from 52 in 2014 to 30 in 2015.

Sexual offences increased overall, by 15 per cent, last year. The number of rapes reported to the Garda increased by 13 per cent to 536 cases. Sexual assaults were up by 14 per cent to 1,447 cases reported to the Garda.

Burglaries were down by 5 per cent, with 26,246 reported crimes last year. That development will come as a relief to the Garda and the Government which have been under pressure over the continued rise in burglaries.

The debate about rural crime was a feature of the election campaign, with claims that burglaries were occurring most frequently in rural areas, despite data showing the problem was growing much faster in Dublin.

Garda resources

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald welcomed the reductions in many crime types but suggested there was no room for complacency.

“While I welcome the reductions in burglaries and other serious crime categories, the latest crime figures show that we need to maintain investment in Garda resources as well as continuing with the recruitment of new gardaí,” she said.

"With the continuing support of communities throughout the country, I am confident that An Garda Síochána will continue to confront criminals and provide protection and reassurance for all law-abiding people."

Drug crime also declined last year, falling by 5 per cent overall. That continues a long-term trend since the recession began as recreational drug users enjoyed lower levels of disposable income to pay for drugs.

While some of the quarterly crime data in the last 18 months to two years suggests drug crime – at least those offences known to the Garda – was increasing, the full-year figures do not support that thesis.

Like drug offences, gun crime declined significantly, halving in some areas since the onset of recession and the contraction of the illicit drugs market.

Murder threats

However, indications that it is increasing again are reflected in the full-year crime data for 2015. For example, the crime of discharging a firearm increased by 13 per cent to 151 cases. There were 205 recorded cases of possession of a firearm last year, a rise of 4 per cent.

While murders plummeted last year, murder threats increased by 42 per cent, to 593 cases.

Other crime types to witness decreases last year were criminal damage and some forms of social disorder.