The incidence of sexually transmitted infections in Ireland is on an alarming trend with the body responsible for tracking growth rates reporting that cases across nine disease types rose by 56% last year. 

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC) recorded a 92% increase in gonorrhoea; 51% in chlamydia; syphilis has risen by 26%, and genital herpes 22%. The HPSC data for HIV shows cases rose from 400 to 874 by the end of week 51 last year, a rise of 118%.

While the upward trend follows concerns that Covid-19 restrictions had closed testing services and the ability of people to present themselves for examination, allied to an increase in sexual activity after the pandemic, the more valid comparisons should be made with 2019. 

They also show infection rates are on the rise which implies a change in behaviour. Some specialists link the prevalence of STIs to increased use of “hook-up” apps such as Grindr and Tinder.

While matters of public health can be assessed and clear conclusions drawn, what are we to make of the increases in violence, particularly on streets and public transport?

In Cork, assault, rape, and other violence has risen across both city and county. In Dublin, bus services have been suspended in some parts of the city after reports of 35 incidents of attacks, vandalism, threats, including with knives, and a female driver terrorised by a mob in December.

Our own harrowing reports, published this weekend, show how Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann staff are struggling to deal with rowdy and abusive passengers and suffer serious physical attacks. Drugs certainly play their part and there is a rising public perception about lack of Garda back-up and slow response times.

There is zero chance of persuading the mass of citizens to regularly give up their cars for buses and trains while the services are at the mercy of anti-social thugs and hoodlums. The case for a special taskforce of transport police grows stronger by the day.