Minister confirms increase in arrests for sexual assault offences in Limerick

THE LIMERICK Garda Division has had the second highest number of arrests in the country related to sexual assault in 2022, according to new data. 

In response to a question posed by Peadar Tóibín T.D to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, figures relating to the number of persons who have been arrested for sexual assault in each of the past ten years have been released. 

Figures are based on operational PULSE data and refer to arrests made, not the amount of people charged or convicted. 

The data relates to arrests made at each garda division in the country, as opposed to county wide statistics. 

Numbers recoded between January 1 to July 14 show that 20 people have been arrested for sexual assault in Limerick. A total of 18 arrests were made in the entirety of 2021. 

The figures are based on the year of arrest and the related offence may have occurred during the same year or a previous year.

The numbers have dropped slightly from previous years with 28 arrests made in 2020 and 27 in 2019. 

In 2018, 18 people were arrested compared to 28 in 2017 and 26 in 2016. 

Ms McEntee said a number of important reforms have been implemented as part of an action plan. 

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These include advanced training of all personnel who come into contact with vulnerable victims and the first cohort of staff have taken up their roles at a new sexual offences unit in the Director of Public Prosecutions office.

The University of Limerick has also been commissioned by the Department to develop the framework for the operation and training of intermediaries and the first cohort of students will begin this course in September.

Aontú Castletroy and Annacotty representative Eric Nelligan responded to the figures saying: "Over the past decade the annual number of sexual assaults in the county of Limerick was between the high teens and mid-20s, but for some reason this year it has jumped to 20 for the first 6 months of the year.

"Also, I was very concerned that Limerick ranks 2 nd on the 2022 list for the number of assaults, only Waterford had a higher arrest rate across all nationwide Garda Divisions and Regions."

"The figure of 20 arrests for sexual assault for 2022 is not a true reflection of the scale of the problem, how many people are not reporting the assaults, or how many reports are not resulting in an arrest, these figures are unknown.

"A system needs to be developed that will make it easier for victims to come forward and report any untoward sexual activity.

"Aontú insist that we mandate specific training for pub and nightclub staff and bouncers. It is important that all efforts possible are made to encourage people to reach out to the Rape Crisis Midwest centre and Gardaí if they have been a victim of a sexual assault" concluded Mr Nelligan.