Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has taken to social media to respond to a stunning Fox News segment where questionable data was used to claim that crime is "surging" in Ireland.
The Fox News segment, which went viral on social media on Wednesday, claimed that Ireland has seen a "114% increase in murder and assault attempts."
It also claimed that Dublin now ranks among the "top ten most dangerous cities in Europe" after being named as one of the safest cities in the world back in 2003.
The piece openly ‘connected the dots’ between rising immigration numbers and supposed rising crime rates and has subsequently proven to be very popular with the far-right.
However, taking to social media on Wednesday evening, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar lauded a "fact-based" response to the segment, highlighting how Fox had used "the most brazen manipulation of statistics" to produce the already infamous segment.
Twitter account Danny Boy @Care2much18, which frequently tackles misinformation online, responded to the clip, writing: "Fox News aired a segment on crime in Ireland, specifically Dublin, on 'The Will Cain Show.' The most brazen manipulation of statistics you’re ever likely to see, lapped up by Trump-voters who don’t care if something is true or not…
"Firstly, there was an increase in murders in the Dublin Metropolitan Region in 2024. 2023: 12 2024: 13
"One additional case of murder was recorded, which is not a 114% increase obviously. 13 murders in a population of 2.1 million people is one of the lower rates in the world.
"Secondly, this is the number of murders in the Dublin Metropolitan Region in recent years and I’ll include a few older years for reference.
"2007: 31 2008: 23 2009: 26 2010: 29 2021: 10 2022: 18 2023: 12 2024: 13
"Maybe by 'surging' he meant '58% fewer murders in 2024 vs 2007.'
"Fox News claimed 'city of Dublin where murder and assault attempts are surging 114%.' The actual statistic Fox News is butchering appears stolen from Gript, who stupidly claimed: 'Attempts or Threats to Murder, Assaults, Harassments & Related offences up 114% since *2003*'
"1. CSO (Central Statistics Office) say you can’t compare 2024 with 2003 due to the problems with PULSE that weren’t fixed until recently. Not that it stopped Gript doing it.
"2. Moreover, that offence group includes online stalking and social media barely existed back in 2003."
The account didn’t stop there, also tackling one of the more egregious claims that Dublin is now one of the most dangerous cities in Europe.
"Quote: 'Dublin was once one of the safest cities in the world, it now ranks as one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in Europe.' I’m sure Fox News will have a reputable source for this claim.
"And that source is…. comical, in some respects, also existentially depressing.
"Source = 'A study by the Online Betting Guide' in a survey titled ‘Europe Nightlife Index Casinos”
"So, according to a clickbait gambling company, who wouldn’t say what their methodology was, Dublin is in the Top 10 most unsafe cities in Europe. 'Made it up' school of statistics."
To sum up his points, Danny Boy wrote: "1. There was no '114% increase in murder or assault attempts' in Dublin.
"2. clickbait gambling company cited as a source. In summary, entire segment is utter… Dublin, like all cities, has crime. It’s one of the safer capital cities in the world, come visit."
I think the fact-based content this guy produces is one of the few reasons to stay on X. And, no, I don't know him from Adam and that's not the point anyway. https://t.co/pd4Jd96DIb
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) August 6, 2025
Responding to the impressive thread, Leo Varadkar wrote: "I think the fact-based content this guy produces is one of the few reasons to stay on X. And, no, I don’t know him from Adam and that’s not the point anyway."
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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