Wicklow drug convictions rising faster than national increase of 5pc
The Wicklow PeopleDrug offence convictions have increased by 5pc nationwide, with Wicklow among the areas recording a rise in cases in 2025.
New figures from the Irish Courts Service show that 5,440 people were convicted of drug offences in the District Court system in 2025, up from 5,202 in 2024.
Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said the figures may represent only “the tip of the iceberg” and warned they point to a broader rise in drug use across the country.
In Bray, the main District Court office serving Wicklow, convictions rose by 8pc, increasing from 92 in 2024 to 99 in 2025, representing an increase locally in line with national trends.
Dublin recorded the highest number of drug offence convictions, with 2,071 cases in 2025, an 11pc increase on the previous year.
Drug offence convictions remain well above pre-pandemic levels.
In 2019, there were 4,816 convictions compared to 5,440 in 2025, with the highest recent figure recorded in 2021 at 6,047.
Ní Mhurchú said the disparity in figures across different District Court areas “warrants investigation” and added that drugs in communities are a major concern for “parents, community leaders, pub owners, and gardaí”.
She also pointed to a wider trend, noting a 37pc year-on-year rise in drug-driving offences.
The figures show that most convictions relate to possession, possession for sale or supply, and cannabis cultivation, with smaller numbers involving attempts to smuggle drugs into prisons and forged prescription cases.
Ní Mhurchú has called for the swift implementation of the Government’s National Drugs Strategy 2026–2029.
“We need a stronger, more coordinated response to tackle drug use in our communities,” said Ní Mhurchú.
She also called for “community-based sanctions against those convicted of recreational drug use, higher fines for casual drug use, more detox beds for those with addiction issues, restorative justice programmes and publicity campaigns to tackle social drug use”.