Drug convictions at Carlow district court fall to six-year low

THE number of persons convicted of drug offences at Carlow District Court fell to 60 in 2025, the lowest figure recorded in the six years covered by Courts Service of Ireland data and a sharp decline from a peak of 192 in 2021.

The figures, released to Sinn Féin MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú under the Freedom of Information Act, cover district court convictions nationally for the period 2019-2025 and show Carlow’s conviction total has fallen by 69% from its 2021 high, now less than half the 124 recorded in 2020.

Ms Ní Mhurchú, a former barrister, said the disparity in drug conviction figures across district court offices warrants investigation and described drugs in the community as a major concern raised by parents, community leaders, pub owners and gardaí.

Nationally, the overall number of persons convicted of drug offences at district court level stood at 5,440 in 2025, compared to 5,202 in 2024 and a high of 6,047 in 2021. Carlow accounted for approximately 1.1% of all drug convictions nationally in 2025, down from 3.2% at its 2021 peak.

The most common offence recorded in Carlow across all years was possession contrary to section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act or simple possession, which accounted for the bulk of convictions. In 2025, 45 of Carlow’s 60 convictions were for this offence, with 14 for possession with intent to supply and only one for cannabis cultivation. Nationally, the figures also include a small number of convictions for attempting to smuggle drugs into prisons, along with forged prescription cases.

Among comparable Leinster court offices, Carlow’s 2025 total was the lowest. Naas recorded 149 convictions, Tullamore 171, Waterford 160, Wexford 77, Trim 87 and Kilkenny 71.

Portlaoise recorded 248 convictions in 2025, among the highest outside Dublin and Cork, but its total includes a category of offence not recorded in most other court areas, that of unlawful supply of controlled drugs into a place of detention. Portlaoise District Court covers the area surrounding the Midlands Prison and the Irish Prison Service’s main campus at Portlaoise Prison, meaning a significant quantity of its drug convictions relate to prison specific offences rather than community level drug activity.

Clonmel recorded 281 convictions in 2025, the highest single court total outside Dublin, while Cork recorded 504 and Limerick 211.

Dublin District Court continued to dominate national figures, recording 2,071 convictions in 2025, more than a third of the national total and up from 1,858 in 2024. Ms Ní Mhurchú has also previously highlighted a 37% year-on-year rise in drug-driving offences nationally.

The MEP has called for the swift implementation of the government’s National Drugs Strategy 2026-2029, which is currently being finalised. She has also called for a range of measures including community-based sanctions for those convicted of recreational drug use, higher fines for casual drug use, additional detox beds for those with addiction issues, restorative justice programmes and public awareness campaigns to tackle social drug use.