Concern over 'high level' of  burglaries committed by repeat or multiple offenders

The difference between the number of offences and the number of perpetrators 'highlights a high level of repeat or multiple offending', says Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.

Between January 1, 2020, and September 30, 2025, there were 1,271 burglary offences in Cork courts alone involving 933 people. File picture: Dan Linehan

Concerns have been raised about the prevalence of repeat offenders carrying out burglaries across the country.

Figures from the Irish Courts Service show that between January 1, 2020, and September 30, 2025, the latest date for which data is available, there were 1,271 burglary offences in Cork courts alone involving 933 people.

This includes 993 offences in Cork City, 141 in Mallow, and 137 in Clonakilty District Courts. 

However, the number of people implicated in these cases are smaller — 701 in Cork City, 117 in Mallow, and 115 in Clonakilty.

In total, 1,021 burglary offences were dealt with at the district court level in the county, while 250 were sent forward for trial to the circuit court.

The figures were provided to Ireland South MEP and former barrister Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, who said the difference between the number of offences and number of perpetrators “highlights a high level of repeat or multiple offending”.

The data shows an average of 1.39 offences per person for the 733 people dealt with at district court and 1.25 per person for the 200 sent forward to circuit court for trial.

“The figures point to a relatively small group of repeat offenders that are responsible for a disproportionate share of burglary offences,” she said.

The data includes 158 offences in the first nine months of 2025, 223 in the 12 months of 2024, 189 in 2023, 203 in 2022, 209 in 2021 and 289 in 2020.

Call to stop posting holiday snaps

Ms Ní Mhurchú reiterated Garda calls on people to stop posting holiday pictures on social media, which advertise that they are not at home and also to look out for any suspicious vehicles or activity on their neighbour's property.

In the first nine months of 2025, 95 people in Cork city faced the local courts on 130 burglary charges, while 12 were in Clonakilty District Court and 11 in Mallow.

Ms Ní Mhurchú has called on justice minister Jim O’Callaghan to “put forward a robust plan to tackle the small number of repeat burglars who are having a profound impact on communities”.

This should include an end to the practice of letting burglars out on temporary release from our prisons, she said, adding that nationally, 38 burglars were on temporary release as of June 23 2025, according to figures provided by the Irish Prison Service.