Rise in drug convictions across Cavan and Monaghan
Most cases before the courts involved possession offences- from personal use to sale and supply
Across the Cavan and Monaghan District Court areas, 162 people were convicted of drug offences in 2025. The new figures expose a deepening national problem, one a leading voice warns is “only the tip of the iceberg”.
Cavan accounted for 104 of those cases recorded in 2025- a sharp 12% rise- while Monaghan recorded 58 convictions, down 9%.
Most cases before the courts involved possession offences- from personal use to sale and supply — as well as cannabis cultivation.
Nationwide however drug-related crime climbed to 5,440 last year- a 5% rise on 2024, figures that sit significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels and, while still below the 2021 peak, confirm an issue that shows no sign of subsiding.
According to MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, the true scale of the crisis is far greater than the courts reveal. She warned the statistics reflect just a fraction of the reality unfolding in towns and cities nationwide.
Beneath the headline numbers, the numbers show how some regions have seen explosive growth in convictions. Tullamore recorded a staggering 180% surge, with Roscommon doubling its figures, and Portlaoise close behind with a 95% spike.
Clonmel and Mallow both jumped by 27%, while Waterford rose 17%.
The picture is very different elsewhere. Clonakilty saw convictions halved, dropping 50%, while Dundalk, Ballina, Carlow and Letterkenny all recorded steep declines of between 30% and 37%.
Dublin remains the epicentre of drug-related crime, with 2,071 convictions in 2025- an 11% rise on the previous year.
Cork, the second busiest area, saw cases fall by 7% to 504.
Meanwhile, Clonmel and Portlaoise posted major increases, while Limerick and Galway also both recorded notable drops.
The contrasting trends paint a fragmented national picture- one where progress in some communities is offset by alarming deterioration in others.
Ms Ní Mhurchú, a former barrister, said the wide regional disparities demand urgent scrutiny. The MEP pointed to mounting concern among parents, community leaders, publicans and Gardaí, alongside a sharp 37% rise in drug-driving offences, as evidence of a problem spiralling beyond control.
She is now calling for immediate action, urging the rapid rollout of the Government’s National Drugs Strategy for 2026–2029. Her proposals include more detox beds, expanded restorative justice programmes, tougher public awareness campaigns, and stricter penalties- including community-based sanctions and higher fines for recreational drug use.