Vol. 520 No. 3
3 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons who have died in violent circumstances up to and including 28 May 2000; the number for the equivalent period in each of the years 1997, 1998 and 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15406/00]
I am informed by the Garda authorities that from the beginning of the year to the 28 May 1997, ten murders and seven manslaughters were recorded. During 1998, 15 mur ders and four manslaughters were recorded in the same period. The provisional figures for the equivalent period in 1999 are 17 murders and two manslaughters and during the same period in 2000, a total of 21 murders and three manslaughters were recorded. Of the 21 murders in 2000, proceedings have commenced in 11 cases. I cannot be more specific than this and the Deputy will understand that I do not wish to say anything that might prejudice the outcome of Garda investigations or future prosecutions in any of these cases.
While I am concerned about the number of violent deaths, we continue to have a relatively low homicide rate in terms of international comparisons. Furthermore, I do not believe firm conclusions can be drawn from the statistics at this stage. For example, the murder rate in the last two years was lower than in the previous two.
There is no point attempting to categorise these crimes in any superficial manner nor will I speculate as to the motives behind them. I do not wish to jeopardise the successful investigation and prosecution of these serious crimes by making any comment as to the motives that lay behind them. The identification of the motive and the gathering of evidence on these crimes are key elements of the investigation and prosecution functions.
I accept, however, that there is particular concern about what are referred to as gangland killings, even if some cases portrayed as such initially, in this House or elsewhere, may turn out to be nothing of the kind. In this context, I have continued to afford the highest priority to the targeting of drug trafficking and related criminal activity. The Deputy will be aware of the Criminal Justice Act, 1999, the Government's zero tolerance approach to crime and the continued aggressive policy which is being pursued by the Garda Síochána to bring drug traffickers before the courts. This has led to significant seizures of illegal drugs, the disruption of organised networks and the charging of major criminals.
Irrespective of the background to any particular case, murder is murder and no effort is spared in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
(Mayo): Does the Minister not accept that one of our problems is that we simply do not face up to the fact that there is a crisis in society? There have been 21 murders since the beginning of the year, a record number. People have died in all types of circumstances. They have been kicked and beaten to death, stabbed to death and shot. There is domestic violence, street violence and gangland killings. Marion Finucane's radio programme has highlighted a huge number of unprovoked attacks on people going about their daily business.
There is a crisis with violence in Irish society. We need to examine, in a structured and scientific manner, the reasons so many people are resorting to violence to get their way or to resolve disputes. Rather than simply taking the punitive route we should take a more analytical approach to establish what can be done to curtail the current spiral of violence.
I do not accept that there is a crisis.
(Mayo): That is the problem.
Current Irish statistics compare favourably with those of other countries. In 1998, for example, the rate of homicide per 100,000 of the population was 1.41 and compared to other EU states the Irish rate was fifth lowest. I am informed by the Garda authorities that in both 1998 and 1997, the last years for which statistics have been published, 38 murders were recorded and 34 were detected in each year. The number of murders recorded over the past two years is lower than the number recorded in 1995 and 1996, which were 43 and 42 respectively.
I note with satisfaction that the detection rate has also improved. Of the 43 murders recorded in 1995, for example, 32 were detected. In 1998, however, of the 38 murders recorded, 34 were detected. The manslaughter statistics for 1998 show a significant reduction on the previous year's figures. In 1998 six manslaughters were recorded, all of which were detected. This compares with a total of 16 which were recorded and detected in 1997.
It is of no consolation to the families of those who have died in violent circumstances, but the House will be interested to note that the Irish murder rate is among the lowest in Europe.
(Mayo): The Minister made the frightening admission recently that there are 13 criminal gangs in charge of organised crime in this country, seven of them in Dublin. They have carried out six gangland killings since the beginning of the year and there have been 18 gangland killings in the past 20 months. With regard to the 13 gangs, if we know who they are, where they are and what they are doing, why are they not out of business? Why are the shutters not pulled down?
It is fine to talk about additional resources for the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda Síochána and the national drugs unit but these gangs should be out of business. They should be stamped out of existence and their empires dismantled immediately. To say that one knows who they are, where they are, what they are doing and how they are trying to legitimise their ill-gotten gains is a frightening admission, yet we cannot do anything about them. We can expect other gangland killings over this and next weekend and the pattern will continue. We are into a spiral of gangland killings reminiscent of the days before the murder of Veronica Guerin.
The Deputy is ignoring the record of An Garda Síochána in recent years in tackling organised crime. He also ignores the high detection rate I outlined in reply to an earlier question. For the record, in the last two years illicit drugs have been seized by An Garda Síochána with an estimated street value in excess of £120 million. That is an extraordinary performance by any standard. The Criminal Assets Bureau has obtained interim orders on property to a total value of £7.6 million, interlocutory orders on property to the value of more than £5.4 million and has demanded almost £33 million in the payment of tax and interest from persons suspected of involvement in criminal activity. Social welfare determinations and savings amounted to over £1.5 million.
These achievements by the Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau must be set against a backdrop of a 21% drop in crime rate over the period in office of the present Government. I reject any insinuation or allegation to the effect that the Garda Síochána is not being successful. The truth is the opposite and I assure the Deputy that in so far as organised crime is concerned in Dublin city or elsewhere, the Garda is vigilant in making sure it gathers sufficient evidence to bring these people to justice.
