Association calls for more Gardaí, tougher sentencing, and better use of CCTV to deter offenders
Findings from ISME’s Business Crime Survey 2025 reveal that 64% of Irish SMEs were unaffected by crime in the past 12 months, a result that challenges recent public debate about rising crime rates.
Of the 36% of businesses which did experience crime, 68% were targeted more than once. The most common offences were anti-social behaviour (21%), vandalism (19%), burglary (17%) and phishing attacks (15%).
For businesses affected, the costs are considerable: 28% reported increased security costs, 22% faced higher insurance premiums, and 17% had to make expensive physical alterations to premises.
Despite 73% of victims rating Garda performance as adequate or very effective, 78% of all respondents believe the judicial system fails to deter repeat offenders. 85% of SMEs want more Gardaí, 76% support tougher sentencing, and 73% favour increased CCTV coverage and data-sharing.
Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive of ISME, said: “It is encouraging that most SMEs avoided crime over the past year, but the reality for repeat victims is stark. These businesses are paying more for security, more for insurance, and losing valuable time and productivity. SMEs are sending a clear message, they want more Gardaí on the streets, tougher sentencing, and smarter use of technology like CCTV. If repeat offenders are allowed to operate without consequence, the burden will keep falling on the businesses that can least afford it.”Three-quarters of businesses are aware of the Garda National Cybercrime Bureau, yet only 9% have engaged with it. Meanwhile, 34% of SMEs spend over €5,000 annually on crime prevention, with CCTV and alarms the most widely used measures.
