LAST UPDATE | 22 Mar 2023

THERE HAS BEEN a 26% increase in the number of hate crimes and hate-related incidents recorded in 2022 compared with the previous year, according to figures published by An Garda Síochána today. 

There were 582 hate crimes and hate-related (non-crime) incidents recorded last year, with 448 recorded in 2021.

An Garda Síochána policy is that “reports of hate crimes or hate incidents will be recorded and investigated as appropriate, where it is perceived that the perpetrator’s hostility or prejudice against any person, community or institution is on the grounds of the victim’s age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender”.

A total of 617 discriminatory motives were recorded last year (some incidents have more than one discriminatory motive).

The most prevalent discriminatory motive was race (32%), followed by sexual orientation (22%) and nationality (21%).

Incidents were recorded across all nine discriminatory motives.

Hate motives were evident in a range of incidents in 2022, the largest percentage being public order (30%), minor assaults (20%), assault causing harm (9%) and criminal damage (8%).

The largest proportion of hate related incidents (47%) reported in 2022 occurred in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.

Across the other three operational regions there are quite similar proportions of incidents evident – Southern Region (15%), North-Western Region (20%) Eastern Region (18%).

”These statistics of incidents reported to An Garda Síochána in 2022 with a hate motive build on the baseline figures published for 2021,” Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said. 

“The level of reporting has increased overall. While it is disappointing that any incidents occur which have a hate related motive, it is positive to see more victims coming forward to An Garda Síochána and reporting their experiences,” she said. 

During 2022, An Garda Síochána implemented a hate crime e-learning programme developed in conjunction with NGOs. This programme has been completed by 83.2% of all Garda members.

iReport

The statistics from An Garda Síochána come as the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) released its latest report on its iReport website. 

The iReport website allows people, communities and organisations in Ireland to report occurances of racism confidentially. 

The number of racist related incidents reported to the racist incident reporting system reached 600 last year, rising from 404 in 2021.

Last year, the system also recorded 223 criminal incidents, including racist assaults, a record 190 reports of discrimination and 136 reports of hate speech. 

Repeat harassment made up almost half of all racist crime reports in 2022, according to iReport, and included assaults, abuse, threats and criminal damage. 

iReport said that just 20% of crimes were reported to gardaí. 

“The 2022 data shows the continued prevalence of racist incidents in Ireland, confirming racism as an everyday reality for people from minoritised groups,” Fionualla O’Connell, INAR board member, said. 

“The persistent levels of repeat harassment, and the continued lack of clear responses when they are reported to the authorities is a cause for ongoing concern,” she said. 

National action plan

The Government yesterday launched its National Action Plan Against Racism. 

The plan was developed by the Anti Racism Committee, which was established by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth in 2020.

It forms part of an EU-wide response to fight racism led by the European Commission, which called on all Member States to develop national action plans against racism by the end of 2022.

Speaking at the launch, Varadkar said the plan is about ensuring that everyone “gets a fair go”.

“We’re becoming much more diverse as a country, and that’s very much a good thing. With this, our attitudes and activities surrounding diversity must evolve as well,” he said.

“The government is committed to rooting out systemic racism, which does exist in our country, and putting in place practices that will reduce it in fall its forms.”

Varadkar said that implementing the proposals set out in the plan “won’t be straightforward” and that some “will take longer than others”, but that the political responsibility is on all of Government to see it through.

“We must be active in challenging discrimination, ensuring that minority ethnic groups have equal access to opportunities and are respected in all parts of their lives,” he said.

“I believe that this plan can help create a much better and much more inclusive society in Ireland.”

With reporting by Jane Moore and Christina Finn