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Minister For Justice, Equality and Law Reform:
It is absurd to state that there has been a dramatic increase in
headline crime for 2005 when the level of headline crime for 2005 is
4.4% lower than the level for 2002. I did not hear the Deputy state that
there was a dramatic fall in headline crime when there was a decrease of
3% recorded for 2003 compared to 2002 and a further decrease in headline
crime of 4% recorded for 2004 compared to 2003.
Since I took the decision to publish crime statistics on a quarterly
basis at the beginning of 2003, I have consistently emphasised that care
must be taken in interpreting the statistics, especially when
considering short-term fluctuations and extrapolating trends over short
periods.
I would like to refer to long-term crime patterns. The level of headline
crime in 2005 is actually lower than that for 2003 by 1.6% and for 2002
by 4.4%. Furthermore, in 1995, with a population of almost 3.6 million
people, there were 29 crimes per 1,000 of the population, while in 2005,
with a population of over 4.1 million, there were 24.6 crimes per 1,000
of the population.
Our headline crime rate continues to compare favourably with those of
our nearest neighbours. In England and Wales, in the year April 2003 to
March 2004, the most recent for which figures are available, 113 crimes
were committed per 1,000 population. In 2004-05 in Scotland, there were
86.3 crimes per 1,000 population and in Northern Ireland 69 per 1,000
population compared with our rate of 24.6 per 1,000.
There have, moreover, been significant reductions in 2005 in the
incidence of manslaughter, down 50%, aggravated sexual assault, down
43%, robbery of cash-goods in transit, down 27%, robbery from the
person, down 23%, and theft from the person, down 18%. However, the
overall increase in recorded crime and the increases in particular
categories in the most recent figures I published are disappointing and
I will not downplay my concerns in that respect.
However, I do welcome in particular the significant decrease of 27% in
the number of incidents of robbery of cash-goods in transit - down from
62 in 2004 to 45 in 2005. This trend improved in the fourth quarter with
a decrease of 47%.
Operation Delivery, an initiative undertaken by the Garda Síochána to
counteract the increase in cash-in-transit robberies, which emerged in
2004, has contributed significantly to this welcome decrease.
Furthermore, the new code of practice now being operated by the major
financial institutions and security companies involved in the
cash-in-transit industry, has dramatically raised the standards in
operation. I took a direct personal hand in dialogue with the leadership
in the banking and security sectors in securing the adoption of this new
code, which has made a significant contribution to the decrease. These
developments have been underpinned by the establishment of the Private
Security Authority, which has also taken place on my watch.
I also welcome the increase in the number of detections for possession
of drugs for sale or supply, up 20%, and possession of firearms, up 16%.
In both cases these are offences which, in the main, become known as a
result of active police detection work. This trend continued in the
fourth quarter and, in the case of possession of firearms, improved,
with an increase of 24%. These are statistical crime figure increases
which we should welcome because they are detections flowing from
increased Garda vigilance and a proactive approach.
Operation Anvil, which the Garda Commissioner introduced last May and
for which I obtained substantial additional resources, made a
significant contribution to this level of detection. Operation Anvil
will continue as long as it is deemed necessary in operational and
policing terms. At my request, the Commissioner has extended the
operation to Garda divisions outside Dublin. The most recent figures
available to me show that Operation Anvil has contributed to encouraging
outcomes, with a total number of arrests of 1,808, which include 17
arrests for murder, 310 arrests for serious assaults, 629 arrests for
burglary and 280 arrests for robbery offences. Furthermore, the total
number of firearms seized to date under Operation Anvil is 347, and
property to the value of more than €5.5 million has been recovered.
While it is the case that a number of the increases in headline crime
statistics reflect increased enforcement activity on the part of the
Garda Síochána, the overall picture indicates that there is no room for
complacency. The Government’s decision to continue to devote
unprecedented resources to the fight against crime is clearly justified,
as is my insistence that those resources be deployed at the front line
of policing in this State.
This year, the Garda Síochána has the highest level of resources in its
history at €1,290 million, which represents an increase of €146 million
or 13% on 2005. The provision for Garda overtime in 2006 is €83.5
million - an increase of €23 million on the allocation for 2005. This
increase will greatly assist the planned deployment of a visible
policing service in a flexible, effective and targeted response to
criminal activity and to crime prevention. The €83.5 million in overtime
will yield 2.725 million extra hours of policing by uniformed and
special units throughout the State.
I take great satisfaction in the Government’s decision of October 2004
to approve the recruitment of 2,000 additional gardaí to increase the
strength of the force to 14,000. As a result there will be a combined
organisational strength, both of attested gardaí and recruits in
training, of 14,000 in 2006 and 14,000 attested gardaí in two years’
time. I have already promised is that the additional gardaí will not be
put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline,
operational, high-visibility policing.
In addition to this increase in resources, I am also bringing forward
proposals to strengthen significantly the legislative provisions
available. The Criminal Justice Bill 2004, which is currently before the
House, provides a comprehensive package of anti-crime measures, which
will enhance the powers of the Garda Síochána in the investigation and
prosecution of offences. It contains an essential updating of our law to
ensure that criminal offences can be investigated and prosecuted in a
way which is efficient and fair and which meets the needs of modern
society. It addresses such matters as the preservation of crime scenes,
increased periods of detention in the case of arrestable offences,
search warrant powers for the Garda Síochána, amendments to the Criminal
Justice (Forensic Evidence ) Act 1990, provision for a fixed penalty
procedure in respect of certain lesser public order offences, and the
admissibility of statements by witnesses who subsequently refuse to
testify or who retract their original statements.
The Garda Síochána policing plan for 2006, recently published by the
Commissioner, includes a targeted reduction in the incidence of crime by
2% and an increase in detection rates by 2%. It also reflects the
Government’s priorities in the fight against crime and the actions which
it wishes to be taken.
I can assure Deputies that I am in regular contact with the Garda
Commissioner in order to keep the measures and resources for tackling
crime under continuing review.
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