Ireland: crime and justice

How many murders are there in Ireland each year?

67 homicide and related offences were recorded in Ireland in the 12 months to the end of June 2026, down from 74 a year earlier, according to the CSO Recorded Crime Q2 2026 release, published on 1 October 2026.

Homicide and related offences include murder, manslaughter and dangerous driving causing death. The CSO counts crime incidents reported to An Garda Síochána and recorded on the PULSE system, and presents them as annualised totals for the 12 months to the end of each quarter. Small numbers can change noticeably from year to year.

Official sources: CSO: Recorded Crime Q2 2026

How many sexual offences are reported in Ireland?

3,189 sexual offences were recorded in Ireland in the 12 months to the end of June 2026, down 19% from 3,951 a year earlier, according to the CSO Recorded Crime Q2 2026 release. Sexual offences were the only offence group to fall in every Garda region.

Recorded crime reflects offences reported to and recorded by the Gardaí, so changes can reflect changes in reporting as well as in offending. Many sexual offences are reported some time after they happen.

Official sources: CSO: Recorded Crime Q2 2026

How many burglaries are there in Ireland?

8,587 burglary and related offences were recorded in Ireland in the 12 months to the end of June 2026, down 6% from 9,165 a year earlier, according to the CSO Recorded Crime Q2 2026 release. Theft and related offences rose 2% to 75,052.

Recorded crime rose for 11 of 15 offence groups over the year, with the largest increases in dangerous or negligent acts (+11%), fraud (+9%) and controlled drug offences (+8%). Figures are based on Garda PULSE data and may be revised.

Official sources: CSO: Recorded Crime Q2 2026

How common is fraud in Ireland?

11% of adults in Ireland said they had been a victim of fraud in 2025, up from 4% in 2019, according to the CSO Crime and Victimisation 2025 survey, released on 14 September 2026. Card payment fraud made up 45% of these crimes. Recorded fraud offences rose 9% to 12,251 in the year to June 2026.

The recorded figures include only fraud reported directly to the Gardaí by the public; the CSO excludes referrals from financial institutions while the Gardaí clear a backlog, so recorded fraud understates the total. The survey asks adults about their experience in the previous 12 months.

Official sources: CSO: Crime and Victimisation 2025 · CSO: Recorded Crime Q2 2026

How many people in Ireland are victims of crime?

19% of adults in Ireland said they had been a victim of some form of personal crime in 2025, compared with 10% in 2019, according to the CSO Crime and Victimisation 2025 survey. Personal crime includes theft, fraud and physical assault.

85% of people felt very or fairly safe walking in their local area. 57% viewed An Garda Síochána as very or quite effective at tackling crime locally, down from 68% in 2019. Reporting fell: 30% of personal crimes were reported to the Gardaí, down from 39% in 2019. The survey covers people aged 18 and over.

Official sources: CSO: Crime and Victimisation 2025

How many murders are there in Ireland?

The latest figure from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, for 2023, is 0.7 per 100,000. The peak was 1.8 per 100,000 in 2007 and the low 0.4 per 100,000 in 2021. Europe & Central Asia median: 1.0 per 100,000; Ireland is 32nd highest of 35. Of 79 countries with 2023 data, 71st highest.

What is the female homicide rate in Ireland?

In 2023, the homicide rate for women in Ireland was 0.4 per 100,000, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Its high point since 2005 was 2006, at 0.8 per 100,000; its low point was 2016, at 0.1 per 100,000. Europe & Central Asia median: 0.7 per 100,000; Ireland is 31st highest of 36. Of 78 countries with 2023 data, 70th highest.

What is the male homicide rate in Ireland?

0.9 per 100,000: that is the homicide rate for men in Ireland for 2023, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The peak was 3.0 per 100,000 in 2007 and the low 0.6 per 100,000 in 2021. It is 29th highest of 36 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 1.3 per 100,000. Worldwide: 66th of 78.