New survey finds 89% trust gardaí

By Finnian Cox

A survey commissioned by An Garda Síochána revealed that 90% of adults find them either friendly or helpful, while 73% are satisfied with the services provided.

The Public Attitude Survey was carried out between February and December of 2023 by Ipsos B&A, on behalf of the gardaí, with a total of 89% of respondents saying they trust the gardaí.

This year’s edition of the annual survey consulted 7,682 adults and 835 young people (16–17 year olds) and marked the third consecutive positive result.

The study was conducted nationally, across a range of demographics.

Those with the most positive views of the gardaí were those aged 65 and older, and non-Irish nationals.

82% of those asked agreed the service was human rights focused, which is an increase from the previous year’s result, which was 79%.

Contrary to the other largely positive results, only 56% of those asked said that they agree that the gardaí are representative of the diverse communities they serve.

One potential contributor to the high levels of trust in the gardaí could be the community base approach to policing, with 75% of respondents agreeing that the service is community focused.

The majority said they were satisfied with garda service to local communities, but the number (73%) is a 2% decrease on the previous year.

In a statement Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he was pleased with the positive feedback, describing it as a “reflection of the consistent hard work of gardaí nationwide”.

“In order to continue building on the high level of public trust and satisfaction with the services, we must listen and take on board the constructive views of those we serve,” said the Commissioner.

“In a large organisation of more than 18,000 personnel all working towards the common goal of keeping people safe, there will always be areas in which we can strengthen our work,” he added.

“There is much for us to take away from this survey, particularly in keeping victims informed, to ensure that we are continually improving.”

Of all the issues raised by respondents, sexual offences continued to be the biggest, with 91% of respondents naming it as what the top policing priority should be.

The answer was the same across the demographic, regardless of the person’s age, nationality, or gender.

Similarly, 90% said domestic abuse was rated highly as a policing priority, with human trafficking, assaults, drug offences and illegal weapons all featuring significantly.