Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 3

Written Answers. - Criminal Attacks.

Patrick J. Morley

Question:

406 Mr. Morley asked the Minister for Justice the number of attacks by criminals on people's homes which were reported to the Garda since January 1990, in counties Mayo, Galway, Sligo and Roscommon; and the number of prosecutions that followed arising out of these attacks. [1115/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

I assume that the Deputy is referring to attacks on elderly people in their homes. In this regard, I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of crimes nationally in which the injured party was 65 years or over, living alone in a remote area and where some form of confrontation took place is as set out in the table below:

Year	Number of attacks
1990	51
1991	66
1992	66
1993	80

Figures for 1994 are not yet to hand and will be supplied to the Deputy separately.

Statistics are compiled on a Garda divisional basis rather than a county basis. The counties referred to in the question form part of the following Garda divisions: Mayo, Galway West, Sligo/Leitrim, and Roscommon/Galway East. In the time available, it was not possible to get the number of prosecutions, but I will inform the Deputy by letter.