The number of assaults on tourists referred to the Tourist Victim Support Service almost doubled last year.
There were 21 assaults reported to the service last year, including one fatal attack, compared with 11 in 1999. The death occurred after a Welsh rugby fan was involved in a fight in Roscrea last March. Ms Lisa O'Neill, co-ordinator of Tourist Victim Support Service, said other assaults included an attack in June on an Englishman, Mr David Richardson, who was visiting his son who is black.
Ms O'Neill said there was also an increase in robberies involving knives, syringes and guns. Last year there were 12, seven involving knives, three with a gun and one with a syringe. This compares with eight in 1999, seven involving knives and one with a syringe.
The overall number of cases referred to Tourist Victim Support Service has fallen, with 426 recorded last year compared with 488 in 1999. Larceny accounted for 50 per cent of referrals and theft from cars 20 per cent. In Dublin, 275 crimes were reported, with 99 occurring on city centre streets, 35 in hostels and 19 on public transport.
More than 700 tourists were involved in last year's 426 cases. Ms O'Neill said internal Garda figures showed an average of 3,000 cases annually involving tourists and crime. She said that while gardai referred tourists to Tourist Victim Support Service at their discretion, she wanted them to refer tourists in all cases. Most referrals involved British tourists (20 per cent) followed by US and French tourists (15 per cent), Italian (11 per cent), German (9 per cent) and Spanish (6 per cent).
Ms O'Neill said once tourists had contacted the support service, 79 per cent continued their holiday plans while 10 per cent shortened their stay and returned home.
Mr John Brown, press officer in Bord Failte, said the number of cases involving tourists and crime was low, given the seven million people who visited the State last year. "But it's something every one in tourism regrets," he said.