The Myth of Immigrant Crime in Ireland: How Racism Shapes Public Perception

- Emma Honeyford

During his presidential visit to Ireland in 1963, John F. Kennedy observed that ‘[m]ost countries send out oil or iron, steel or gold, or some other crop, but Ireland has had only one export and that is its people.’ No European country has been as profoundly affected by emigration over the last two centuries as Ireland. Since 1800, approximately ten million people have emigrated from the island, a statistic so immense that today Ireland’s population remains smaller than it was in 1846. Despite this extensive history, growing tension has developed in Ireland around the recent rise in immigration, with the sharp contrast between the country’s longstanding experience of emigration and the current hostility toward immigrants exposing a deep hypocrisy. In recent years, this tension has become increasingly insidious, often taking explicitly racist forms. 

It is undeniable that there has been an increase in immigration in recent years. Net migration has nearly doubled since 2022, reaching around 72,000 people per year (Halpin, 2023). Applications for international protection have also increased, reaching 18,651 applications in 2024, the highest number ever recorded (McGee, 2025). These developments have led to growing public unease,  evidenced by protests and riots where participants cite concerns about housing, the cost of living,  and crime as justification for their actions. The 2023 Dublin riots offer a clear example of this dynamic. The unrest began on 23 November 2023, after three children and a school care assistant were stabbed outside a city centre primary school. Rumours spread rapidly on social media that the assailant was not Irish. Within hours, rioters were setting vehicles on fire, attacking emergency service workers, and looting local shops while chanting anti-immigration slogans (Carroll, 2023). In total, twenty-eight vehicles were damaged, including a Luas tram and three Dublin buses which were completely destroyed by fire. Sixty-six businesses were vandalised or looted. Garda vehicles were targeted and several gardaí suffered serious injuries. It was the worst outbreak of rioting in  Dublin for decades. 

In reality, the rationale underlying this reaction, that immigration increases crime, does not hold up to scrutiny. The Department of Justice has set out that there is no credible evidence to demonstrate a causal link between immigration and crime in Ireland (Gallagher, 2023). By contrast, the causal link between violent riots and extensive public damage is indisputable. The destruction of public property and the targeted attacks on emergency service workers, justified under the premise of protecting the community from immigrant crime, exposes a deep hypocrisy. Moreover, it demonstrates a growing trend of susceptibility to simplistic, racialised explanations which divert attention away from the real structural issues which are affecting Irish society. 

Given that the perceived link between immigration and crime is factually unfounded, it is important  to consider where this belief comes from. A 2020 election exit poll highlighted that just one per cent of  people considered immigration when they voted. Now, just five years later, it is one of the key political issues in Ireland. What changed? Teresa Buczkowska, CEO of the Immigrant Council of  Ireland, noted that, “[t]he shifting narrative we are hearing in politics and false allegations that migrants are raising crime rates are leaking into everyday conversations and opinions, which is a worrying trend.” Rather than confronting the substantial causes of these issues, such as underinvestment, inadequate government policies, and administrative inertia, certain political narratives have redirected public frustration toward migrants, who often have limited opportunity or capacity to respond to these debates. 

A country with such an extensive history of migration must address these challenges. The  underlying issues, such as the housing crisis and cost of living, require effective policies and  adequate investment. Blaming migrants, despite a complete absence of credible supporting evidence, is both irrational and socially harmful. While people are fully entitled to express anger or concern about these challenges facing Irish society, emotions must be directed at those with political authority who have the power to change things. Directing this anger towards immigrants, some of the most vulnerable members of our society, not only fails to solve any of these problems, but also deepens divisions and fuels prejudice. It is imperative that the Irish people reject simplistic narratives which pit communities against one another. Meaningful progress can only happen when public frustration is channeled toward effective policy reform rather than simple scapegoating.