Irish Examiner view: Absence of policing in domestic abuse crisis

Successive governments have spoken the language of “zero tolerance”. But leadership is measured in delivery, not declarations

Domestic abuse is closely linked to serious violent crime, including homicide. Garda data shows it is a key driver of gender-based violence and disproportionately affects women. File Picture: Denis Minihane.

The revelation that just one garda domestic abuse co-ordination team operates outside Dublin is not merely “shocking”, it is indefensible. At a time when domestic violence is rising sharply and persistently, the absence of a coherent, nationwide policing response amounts to an abject failure of leadership.

The scale of the problem is not in dispute. An Garda Síochána responded to more than 65,000 domestic abuse incidents in 2024 — roughly 1,250 every week. Reports of domestic violence have surged by 162% in less than a decade, climbing from 18,782 incidents in 2016 to over 49,000 in 2024. Frontline services are overwhelmed: Women’s Aid recorded tens of thousands of disclosures last year alone, reflecting the prevalence and severity of abuse.