Dan Neville
Question:346 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of attempted abductions of children in each county in 1998. [4459/99]
Written Answers. - Attempted Child Abductions.
I should say by way of background that during the September to December period in 1998, there were approximately 100 incidents reported to the Garda where suspicious approaches were made to children. About half of these occurred in the Dublin region. I understand from An Garda Síochána that the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is co-ordinating all incidents of suspicious approaches made to children.
I should, at this stage, point out that the classification of such incidents in the statistics depends on the outcome of each investigation, and the determination of whether a crime was committed at all in some of these cases or whether there was the intent to commit a crime has to be established. All reports, as I have said, are being taken seriously and being fully investigated by the Garda.
In relation to the Deputy's specific question I am informed by the Garda authorities that there was an attempted abduction of a child in 1998 and that it occurred in County Waterford. I am further informed that a person was subsequently charged under section 2 and section 17 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, and that the matter is presently before the courts.