Number of domestic abuse cases soars in Laois and Offaly

Domestic abuse incidents in Laois and Offaly have increased by nearly 400% in the past decade.

Garda Pulse figures have revealed that 1,644 recorded incidents took place in 2023, compared to 455 10 years ago in 2014. There was almost a year on year steady increase.

The figures include breaches of barring orders, protection orders and safety orders, domestic disputes with no offence identified, and any incident recorded as 'domestic abuse' in Garda files. 

In 2024, there were already 393 cases recorded by the end of March. 

Laois and Offaly are among nine counties that have no domestic refuge for families trying to leave home and escape harm.

The latest update as reported by the Leinster Express / Laois Live is that a listed building has been bought in Portlaoise by Laois County Council, but extra land is now requested to be bought beside it by the state and by Laois Domestic Abuse Service, to make it fully suitable as a refuge. 

The figures were given by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, in response to a Dáil Question by Peadar Toibín, leader of the Aontú party.

Nationally, Gardaí records of domestic abuse incidents tripled in a decade from 14,264 to 46,539.

Dep Toibín blamed Government inaction.

“Its is deeply concerning that domestic abuse incidents are rapidly increasing in Ireland.  There are now 128 garda call outs for domestic abuse incidents every day of the year.  Behind everyone of these figures, is a person being damaged, in what should be, the sanctuary of their own home. In the vast majority of cases, this abuse is being carried out against women. Ireland is becoming a more dangerous place for women. I don’t believe for a second that the government is tackling the causes of this abuse within society or providing the necessary support to those effected”.

He blamed it on a “collapse in the number of Gardaí", and claimed that "the government is refusing to tackle the proliferation hard core porn being consumed by children” as well as cocaine and other drug addictions.

“Our mental health services only receive 6% of the overall health budget and chronic underfunding is having a serious societal impact. The housing crisis and the lack of safe rental move-on options also add to the pressure,” Dep Toibín added.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee defended her efforts.

“Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) remains an absolute priority for this Government, for me as Minister for Justice and for the Garda Commissioner.

“The Zero Tolerance strategy sets out an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which underpin these crimes.

"A significant objective has been to encourage victims of domestic violence to come forward and to report the crimes that are being committed against them. This is an important step because historically there has been an under-reporting of domestic, sexual and gender based violence. 

"Under Budget 2025, I was pleased to announce that DSGBV funding has increased to €70m, of which €67m is allocated to Cuan. This more than triples the funding for DSGBV services from when I first became Minister for Justice, and represents a further significant increase for 2025. Increasing funding for Cuan to €67m will provide for additional resources to support the implementation of the Zero Tolerance strategy, with funding for 80 additional refuge spaces.

"I have also strengthened our laws in this area, and introduced additional supports for victims. I have legislated for new standalone offences of non-fatal strangulation and stalking and I have increased the maximum penalty for assault causing harm, one of the most commonly prosecuted domestic violence related offences, from five to ten years. l have also strengthened the law on sexual offences and improved protections throughout the criminal justice process system for victims of sexual offences.

"In addition, there are now divisional protective service units (DPSUs) across the country with specially trained officers who will engage with, and support, vulnerable victims and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions now has a specialist sexual offences unit," Minister McEntee said.