The majority of people still feel safe in Dublin city centre, the Taoiseach has insisted.

Crime in the capital has been one of the main issues facing the Government this year and last month’s Dublin riots were seen as a tipping point by many.

Meanwhile, a recent study by business group Dublin Town earlier this year found that more people now feel unsafe in the city than did in 2016.

Speaking at a pre-Christmas briefing, Leo Varadkar said most people still have positive experiences in Dublin.

“Of course I am concerned about individual negative experiences people have in Dublin or anywhere else,” he said.

“That is something you are very aware of and very exposed to as a politician – like somebody who would have, maybe, a very bad experience of our health service but I am also aware of the huge number of people who have a very positive experience of our health service for example, and say so when surveyed.

“The same thing applies to people coming into town, coming into our cities and coming into our country.”

A burned Luas carriage in Dublin city centre following riots, 24/11/2023. Image: Leon Farrell/RollingNews

Three Garda cars, three buses and a Luas tram were set on fire as the city centre descended into chaos during the Dublin riots – with Gardaí attacked and shops looted.

The riots broke out after protesters gathered at the scene of a knife attack on three young children and a teacher near a school on Parnell Square became violent.

The incidents saw the Government moving to supply Gardaí with more equipment and fast-tracking legislation that would enable Gardaí to make better use of facial recognition technology.

A car burns on Parnell Street as rioters cause chaos in Dublin city centre, 23-11-2023. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Mr Varadkar said politicians and media outlets have a responsibility to remember that the majority of people still have positive experiences in the capital.

“Most people thankfully don’t experience being victims of violent crime in Dublin or anywhere else,” he said.

“While it is really important that we listen to and acknowledge the stories of people who have a very bad experience, we have a responsibility as politicians and journalists not to make the mistake of thinking that bad experiences are the majority or the norm.”

The Dublin Town survey showed that the perception of safety in Dublin began to decline before the pandemic began and has continued to fall in the years since.

The number of people who said they felt safe in the evening time in north central Dublin fell from 51% in 2016 to just 35% in May of this year.