I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information requested by the Deputy is as set out in the following table. Statistics for 1997 are not yet available but I understand that provisional figures indicate that there has been a decrease in the incidence of murder so far this year as compared to the corresponding period last year.
It should be noted that some cases classed originally as murder are subsequently classified under a different heading, e.g. manslaughter, on the basis of more complete information, following direction of the law officers or as a result of court decisions. Accordingly, it can be expected, in the light of previous experience, that a number of the cases currently classed as murder could be reclassified, at a later stage, under a different heading.