DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland has one of the EU's highest rates of violent assault, according to new figures published by the European Commission, despite recording low levels of homicide.

Data released for 2023 shows Ireland ranked fourth among EU member states for serious assault offenses, with 108 incidents per 100,000 people. That puts it behind only France, Belgium and Germany. While the total number of assaults causing harm in Ireland dropped slightly—from just over 6,100 in 2022 to more than 5,700 last year—the rate remains high compared to most other European countries.

The figures, compiled by Eurostat, reflect police-recorded offenses across all 27 EU countries. The agency cautioned that national differences in law, reporting behavior, and recording practices could influence comparisons.

In contrast to its assault statistics, Ireland reported just 34 homicides in 2023, down from 44 the previous year. With a rate of 0.64 homicides per 100,000 people, Ireland had the sixth lowest rate in the EU.

The report also highlighted a persistent gender disparity in killings linked to family or intimate partners. In Ireland, 4.1 women per million were killed by someone close to them in 2023—nearly twice the rate for male victims.

Sexual violence, including rape, continues to rise across the EU. Eurostat recorded nearly 244,000 such offenses in 2023, an increase of 5.5 percent from the previous year. Ireland's rate of sexual violence stood at 56 offenses per 100,000 people, the eighth highest in the EU. While the number of rape cases fell slightly to 1,004, Ireland remains near the top of the EU rankings. Sweden had the highest rate at 193 per 100,000 people; Hungary recorded the lowest, at just six.

Property crime is also on the rise again following pandemic-era declines. Ireland ranked 10th in the EU for thefts, with more than 69,350 incidents logged in 2023—an increase of 7,000 from 2022. Burglary figures were largely stable, with just over 9,560 recorded, placing Ireland in the middle of the EU pack.

Robberies rose by 15 percent to 1,618 cases last year, though Ireland's robbery rate (31 per 100,000) is still well below countries like Spain and France. The Republic also had the ninth-highest rate of drug offenses, with 323 per 100,000 people—totaling over 16,600 cases.