Large numbers of victims of racist violence or abuse are not contacting gardaí because they do not believe those responsible will be held accountable, representative groups have claimed.
An Garda Síochána’s failure to provide a “coherent, systematic approach” to reports of racist hate crimes means migrant communities feel “anxiety, uncertainty and fear” about making a formal report, said Shane O’Curry, director of the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR).
“There are some shining examples of really excellent Garda practice with minority ethnic people in following up on these crimes but the overall Garda response is uneven, unpredictable and inconsistent at best,” Mr O’Curry said.
His comments come in the wake of a continuing stream of reports on social media from members of Ireland’s migrant community of racially motivated assaults and abuse, particularly on the streets of Dublin.
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In December 2024, the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 came into effect, changing how the country’s legal framework addresses hate crime. The law seeks to protect those targeted because of race, colour, nationality, religion, national or ethnic origin (including Traveller), descent, gender, sex characteristics, sexual orientation or disability.
However, the 2024 legislation was a stripped-back version of what was originally proposed and does not deal with incitement to violence and hatred – commonly known as the hate speech elements. Instead, the 1989 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act remains in force.
The new law does provide for harsher prison sentences where hatred is shown to be an aggravating factor in the committing of an offence. When hatred is not proven, a person can still be charged with assault or damage to property. However, legal professionals warn providing the evidence needed to prove hatred as a motivating factor is difficult and makes enforcement complicated. The law has also been criticised for not explicitly defining the term “hatred” or establishing a threshold for proving a hate element.
According to the Department of Justice, the attorney general advised it was “not appropriate to introduce any other terms to the definition” as it could make the offence “excessively broad or vague”, making it more difficult to prove in a court of law.
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Immigration lawyer Imran Khurshid says the 2024 legislation’s definition of hatred is “very vague” and “subjective”. The State’s reliance on the 1989 act to deal with this growing issue is also flawed, he said. “We are living in contemporary Ireland and the legislation needs to reflect that.”
Mr Khurshid, who was the subject of racially motivated online threats of violence and arson last year, believes the heated rhetoric around immigration and “a shift in blame” for the housing crisis towards immigrant communities plays strongly into the spread of this violence. The actual number of migrants who have been racially attacked or abused is “far higher” than Garda data shows, he said, adding that attacks are rising. Victims “don’t have faith in the authorities” to report these crimes, he said.
Garda data published earlier this year revealed a small increase in hate-related crimes – 732 discriminatorily motivated incidents or crimes were reported in 2024, up from 696 in 2023, 617 in 2022 and 483 in 2021. Race remains the most prevalent motivation for these crimes.
Teresa Buczkowska, chief executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, agrees that while there are “great individuals” working in An Garda Síochána, there is “no consistent, unified approach or training” in how to support victims of racist violence. Funding cuts to migrant advocacy groups means services such as the council’s antiracism information helpline are no longer operating, she added.
The rapid spread of far-right, anti-immigrant rhetoric online emboldens people, often teenagers, to carry out these attacks, said Ms Buczkowska. A lack of accountability and the use of “hateful rhetoric” towards migrants by some politicians also leads to “more vicious violence”, she said.
A justice spokeswoman said attacks on migrant communities were “utterly unacceptable” and that everyone has “the right to live safely, free from intimidation or abuse regardless of background”. The 2026 National Action Plan against Racism seeks to “eliminate racism in all its forms in Ireland”, and its implementation will have a “significant positive impact on all minority ethnic communities and faith-based groups”. The Ireland Against Racism Fund also enables NGOs and community organisations to combat racism and promote racial equality, she said.
Asked to comment on concerns that gardaí cannot act if a minor has committed a racist crime, she said any person under 18 who commits a crime will be considered for admission to the Youth Diversion Programme. However, in order to be admitted to the programme, the child must take responsibility for the offence.
A Garda spokeswoman said the force was still investigating a number of incidents reported by Ireland’s Indian community and acknowledged there had been an increase in reports of racist crimes year on year.
Every hate crime reported to An Garda Síochána “is professionally investigated and victims are supported during the criminal justice process”, while nearly 600 Garda diversity officers are trained to engage with migrant communities and build trust, said the spokeswoman.
