Courts service reports surge in domestic abuse and child care cases

Courts Service annual report also shows increases in assault and rape cases as well as adult and juvenile drug dealing cases

The increases were across the three main types of orders – protection, barring and safety orders.

Domestic violence and child care cases continued to surge in 2023, according to the Courts Service.

Its annual report for last year shows there were over 25,500 domestic violence cases - 2,000 more than 2022 and 3,000 more than 2021.

The increases were across the three main types of orders – protection, barring and safety orders.

The report shows orders sought by Tusla to protect children at risk have increased even more sharply - with an almost 25% jump in orders in the last two years.

The report also shows a 7% increase in new cases before the Circuit and Central Criminal Courts.

It shows that while further progress has been made to deal with backlogs built up because of Covid, the number of cases are still over 60% higher than in 2019, before the pandemic.

Figures on domestic violence applications in the district courts show:

• 25,570 in 2023, compared to 23,536 in 2022 (+9%) and 22,596 in 2021 (+13%);
• 3,326 barring order applications in 2023, compared to 2,933 in 2022 and 2,987 in 2021, but similar to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (3,323);
• 9,641 protection order applications in 2023, compared 8,719 in 2022 and 8,269 in 2021 (7,049 in 2019);
• 9,913 safety order applications in 2023, compared to 9,317 in 2022 and 8,918 in 2021 (8,061 in 2019);
• 2,064 interim barring order applications in 2023, compared to 1,951 in 2022 and 1,917 in 2021 (1,643 in 2019) 

The report said there was progress in cases resolved in the family courts – with clearance rates increasing from 82% to 94%, with Dolphin House in Dublin seeing an improvement from 66% to 74%.

It said an additional judge was assigned to a fifth family law court in Dublin, reducing waiting times from 18 to 12 weeks.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has the power to apply to the courts for various orders – such as emergency care orders, care orders and supervision orders - when dealing with children who are at risk or who are in need of care.

The report shows there were 17,583 orders in 2023, compared to 14,985 in 2022 (+17%) and 14,194 in 2021 (+24%).

The biggest increase was in interim care orders, with 1,529 in 2023, compared to 1,388 in 2022. There was also a rise in care orders, from 926 in 2022 to 951 in 2023.

Elsewhere in the report, there were 3,681 orders in the district court in relation to juvenile crime, down on 2022 (4,145).

The bulk of offence categories saw a reduction, except drug dealing, which increased from 462 in 2022 to 518 in 2023 (+12%).

In relation to adult offenders in the Circuit Criminal Court, there was a significant increase in both the number of offences and defendants in relation to assaults – with 1,609 offences and 1,071 defendants in 2023 compared to 1,428 and 961 respectively in 2022.

Drug supply offences rose from 3,151 (813 defendants) in 2022 to 3,368 (865) in 2023.

The number of child abuse offences dropped slightly (72 to 68) but the number of defendants rose (17 to 28).

In the Central Criminal Court, rape offences increased (168 to 184) as did defendants (168 to 184).

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.