Eighteen incidents of hate crime in Donegal in 2022

Eighteen hate crime and hate-related incidents were reported to Gardai in Donegal last year.

Figures released by An Garda Síochána show a rapid rise in such incidents.

Of the 18 incidents reported in Donegal, race was noted as the discriminatory motive in ten.

None of the reported incidents were said to relate to colour or religion, but there were recorded occurences relating to ethnicity,, gender, nationality and sexual orientation.

Nationwide, Gardai reported a 29 per cent rise in reported hate crime in 2022.

There were 582 hate crimes and hate-related incidents in 2022, up from 448 in 2021.

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The most prevalent discriminatory motive was race (32 per cent), followed by sexual orientation (22 per cent) and nationality (21 per cent). Incidents were recorded across all nine discriminatory motives.

The North-Western region accounted for 20 per cent of hate-related incidents reported to Gardai.

An Garda Síochána in conjunction with the University of Limerick has continued to facilitate Garda members and Staff participating in the Policing and Human Rights Law in Ireland Level 8 Certificate programme. Over 2,000 Garda personnel at all ranks and grades have completed and been awarded this certificate.

Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, whose remit includes the Garda National Diversity and Integration Unit, welcomed the publication of the 2022 statistics.

Assistant Commissioner Hilman said: "An Garda Síochána continues to have a strong focus on investigating crimes with a hate motive and supporting the victims of these crimes. An Garda Síochána recognises that hate crimes have a huge impact on victims, specifically because they are targeted because of a characteristic of who they are. These crimes also have a significant impact on wider communities and society”.