Since 2015, the HSE has operated a National Incident Management System (NIMS), which requires all incidents to be reported through a national centralised system.

The data provided to Sinn Féin’s health spokesman, David Cullinane, by the HSE confirmed that as of June 4, there had been 2,373 assaults against staff so far this year.

Of the 2,373 assaults so far this year, some 23 have been classified as sexual assault, while 585 were classified as verbal assault.

Direct physical assaults accounted for nearly three-quarters of all incidents, with 1,765 recorded.

Some 2,064 of the events were branded “negligible”, which the HSE defined as an “adverse event leading to minor injury not requiring first aid”.

There were 205 minor events, which resulted in a minor injury or illness; where first aid treatment was required; there was a hospital stay of less than three days; or a person experienced impaired psychosocial functioning for more than three days but less than one month.

Another 103 assaults were classified as “moderate”.

This is when there is a significant injury requiring medical treatment, such as a fracture or counselling; the incident is reportable to the Health Safety Authority (HSA); the worker is out of work for more than three days; there is a hospital stay of between three and eight days; or there is impaired psychosocial functioning for more than one month but less than six.

No 'major' incidents this year or last

There have been no incidents classified as major to date in 2026, nor in 2025. 

This can involve major injuries, including a long-term incapacity or disability, including the loss of a limb. 

Extreme incidents, of which there have been none, can lead to death.

There were 6,222 assaults in 2024 overall and 6,301 assaults in 2023. The number of assaults on HSE workers increased by 27% between 2021 and 2025.

There have been 31,310 incidents recorded between 2021 and to date in 2026, with 87.94% (27,535) classified as negligible, 8.51% were minor, 3.4% were moderate, and 0.14% were major. There were no extreme incidents.

Katrina Dempsey, head of national health and safety at the HSE, told Mr Cullinane that “ensuring the safety of employees and service users is a priority concern for the HSE”.

“The HSE does not tolerate verbal or physical aggression in any form by employees, service users, and members of the public or others,” she said.

“While it is accepted that the provision of health services can involve situational conflicts, this recognition should not be equated with considering any form of aggression and/or violence as being inherent, inevitable, or acceptable.”