A gay man who suffered a violent robbery by four men and a taxi driver who was attacked and abused by a passenger over his religion were two of the hundreds of people to report hate crimes last year.An Garda Síochána said there was a 15.4 per cent increase in reports of hate crimes and hate-related incidents made to the force last year.Newly published figures show 780 hate crimes and incidents were recorded in 2025, a sharp increase from 676 in 2024.However, gardaí believe hate crimes remain significantly under-reported.Chief supt Jane Humphries, of the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau, said the figures point to an “increase in reporting of hate-related matters”. She said the force welcomes that “more people feel confident to make contact with us and make a report”.“It is acknowledged that hate crime and hate-related incidents are under-reported in Ireland, and this is why we encourage victims and those who witness such incidents to engage with us,” said Humphries.The headline figure is comprised of 688 hate crimes and a further 92 non-criminal hate-related incidents. Both figures were lower in 2024, but hate crimes saw the largest spike in reporting, having increased 16 per cent year on year from 592 in 2024.A more moderate rise was seen in non-criminal incident reporting to the gardaí from 84 cases to 92.Racism was the most prevalent discriminatory motive, accounting for 40 per cent of reports in 2025. Xenophobia (23 per cent) was the next most common motive.The number of reports of homophobic or sexual-identity motivated crimes remained unchanged at 70. Public-order offences (32 per cent) and minor assaults (16 per cent) accounted for more than half. Just under half of all incidents took place in Dublin.In the case of the gay man who was attacked in Dublin in April, four males aged in their 20s and 30s have been charged in connection with the robbery. The case is currently before the courts.The taxi driver who was physically and verbally abused by a passenger on religious grounds, also in April, has since seen his attacker, a man in his 30s, convicted in court and fined.Another incident reported to the Garda involved a person who was attacked and robbed by a man and woman they knew in March. After an investigation into the report in Dublin, gardaí arrested and charged the pair with robbery and assault causing harm, aggravated by hatred relating to the person’s gender identity.Both attackers were convicted, with the man being sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and the woman to 12 months imprisonment.Humphries said that targeting people and groups for fundamental characteristics “cannot and should not be tolerated in Irish society as it tarnishes our values and what we stand for”.Those affected by hate crimes were encouraged to make reports to the Garda, which she said is “committed to upholding the human rights of all and will support you in any way that we can”. The publication of the data is part of new hate crime legislation passed in 2024. Those affected can make reports on the Garda online hate crime reporting portal or at any Garda station.