By James Ward, PA
There was a sharp decline in recorded crime levels in Ireland last year amid continuous lockdown measures to fight the pandemic.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that burglary and related offences fell by over a third, 34.7 per cent, with 5,810 fewer incidents in 2020 compared to 2019.
Incidents of theft were down by a quarter, 24.5 per cent, while robbery, extortion and hijacking dropped 22.9 per cent.
Violent crimes such as attempts or threats to murder, assaults and harassment saw 2,882 fewer incidents in 2020, a decline of 13.2 per cent.
Sexual offences were down by 10.6 per cent on 2019 levels.
However, women remain at far higher risk of such crimes, even during lockdown.
The number of male victims of attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences fell by 19 per cent in 2020.
But for women that figure was considerably lower, dropping just 6.4 per cent.
The fall in the number of victims was highest in the 18-29 years age group for both males, down by 944, and females, down by 433.
There have also been increases in certain types of crime.
Weapons and explosives offences was up by 14.9 per cent, while controlled drug offences jumped by 9.1 per cent in 2020 compared to the previous year.
The number of homicide offences was nine higher than in 2019, with the CSO saying this was driven by more incidents of dangerous driving leading to death, up 10 on the previous year.
There were also 1,101 breaches of Covid-19 regulations which were classified as crime incidents by gardaí in 2020.
These included breaches of regulations relating to domestic travel restrictions, licensed premises, wearing of face coverings and international travel.
International travel
Meanwhile, the number of people travelling in and out of the country fell sharply in February compared to January this year.
Some 54,800 passengers arrived in Ireland on overseas routes in February, a decrease of 49.2 per cent on the month before.
In the same month, 53,200 passengers departed from Ireland on overseas routes, a drop of 55.2 per cent on the previous month.
Overseas travel falls in Februaryhttps://t.co/3OsgDhWzyh #CSOIreland #Ireland #Tourism #Travel #Holidays #LoveIreland #OverseasTravel #AirAndSeaTravel pic.twitter.com/13ZlQqZx0h
— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) March 29, 2021
The figures are dramatically lower than in February 2020, when 1,215,100 passengers arrived, and 1,203,300 passengers departed.
Continental routes contributed most to the passenger traffic.
Some 31,600 passengers arrived on continental routes and 27,800 passengers departed.
That compares to just 13,200 passengers arrived on cross-channel routes and 17,200 passengers departed on those routes.
Some 2,100 passengers arrived on transatlantic routes, with 2,200 passengers departing this way.
