asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement on the recently published figures for crime in 1987.
Written Answers. - Crime Figures.
27.
There are in fact no definitive published figures for crime in 1987. The Garda Commissioner's Report on Crime for 1987 will not be available until later in the year. However, the Garda authorities inform me that provisional figures indicate that the level of recorded indictable crime decreased in 1987 by approximately 1.5 per cent.
This is an indication that the downward trend in the level of indictable crime, recorded over the past few years, is continuing and is a hopeful sign that crime is being brought under control. Indeed the figures indicate that reported indictable crime has decreased by approximately 17 per cent since 1983.
I have no wish to understate the seriousness of the level of crime that we are still experiencing — this remains unacceptably high. The Garda, however, are continuing to do their utmost to tackle the crime situation generally and can be relied upon to take the necessary measures to deal with any particular crime problems that arise.