(Dublin North-West) asked the Minister for the Environment the number of fires in buildings in the past two years; if he will make a statement on the level of arson that exists in such fires.
Written Answers. - Fire Statistics.
22.
In 1983 and 1984, the latest years for which complete statistics are currently available in my Department, returns submitted by fire authorities indicate that fire brigades were called out to 40,511 fires in buildings. In the same period, 361 cases of arson were reported to the Garda. Approximately half of these cases comprised fires in buildings. The remainder, for which no breakdown is available, cover such incidents as the burning of vehicles or haystacks.