Crime Levels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005

Wednesday, 26 January 2005

Questions (707)

Joe Costello

Question:

769 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of indictable offences recorded in respect of the years 1994 to date; the number of indictable offences detected in the sense that the Garda has satisfied itself regarding the identity of the culprit; the number of offences detected as having been committed by a person while on court bail; and the number of convictions ultimately recorded, that is, not necessarily in the year in which the offence was committed, for those offences in respect of the latter figures. [1659/05]

Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I wish to inform the Deputy that the number of indictable offences recorded and detected, indictable offences committed by persons on bail and convictions for previous years are published in the annual reports of the Garda Síochána for the years 1994 to 1999. The 1999 annual report only provides indictable offences committed on bail and convictions for previous years for the first nine months of that year, due to the introduction of the PULSE system.

The number of headline offences recorded and detected for the years 2000 to 2003 is published in the respective annual reports. However, I am informed by the Garda authorities that it has not been possible to compile the bail and previous years conviction statistics for the years 2000 to 2003 within the time available. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded directly to the Deputy at the earliest possible opportunity.