Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 4

Written Answers. - Crime Levels.

Richard Bruton

Question:

228 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the trend in crime levels nationally and in the Dublin metropolitan area over the past five years in Raheny, Coolock, Santry, Whitehall and Clontarf; and the trends in Garda strength in these areas for the corresponding period. [19000/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

The number of indictable offences recorded nationally by An Garda Síochána for the past five years and the total number of serving Garda personnel over the same period is as follows:

National Crime Level and Garda Strength, 1995 to 1999

Year	Offences	Garda Strength
1995	102,484	10,825
1996	100,785	10,817
1997	90,875	10,968
1998	85,627	11,235
1999	81,274 (Provisional)	11,458

The Deputy will appreciate that the figures illustrate a decrease in the crime rate of approximately 20.7% and an increase in Garda strength of 10.6%.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of indictable offences recorded in each of the stations referred to by the Deputy is as follows:

Indictable Offences

Station	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	Change 95-98
Raheny	803	612	515	560	339	-30%
Coolock	1205	994	907	822	500	-32%
Santry	703	796	653	630	512	-10%
W/hall	539	512	478	435	294	-19%
Clontarf	1218	1122	1079	1008	628	-17%

Note: Statistics for 1999 are currently available only for the first three quarters of the year, and are provisional.

I am further informed by the Garda authorities that Garda strength over the past five years in Raheny, Coolock, Santry, Whitehall and Clontarf is as follows:

Garda Strength

Station	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Raheny	71	68	64	59	61
Coolock	94	90	93	89	93
Santry	84	87	93	87	78
W/hall	45	44	45	42	38
Clontarf	57	55	57	59	56