Crime Levels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2005

Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Ceisteanna (321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328)

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

373 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Whitechurch and Carrignavar area, County Cork, for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005; if he will give consideration to changing the management arrangements of gardaí in order that the area comes under the jurisdiction of either Blarney or Cork city rather than Cobh which is 25 miles away. [15263/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

374 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Glanmire area of County Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15264/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

375 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Blarney area of County Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15265/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

376 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Dripsey and Berrings area of County Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15266/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

377 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Knockraha area of County Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15267/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

378 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Gurranabraher area of Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15268/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

379 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Blackpool area of Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15269/05]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

380 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Mayfield area of Cork for the years 2000 to 2004 and to date in 2005. [15270/05]

Freagraí scríofa

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 to 380, inclusive, together.

Concerning crime figures, the Deputy will be aware that on becoming Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I arranged for the publication of headline crime statistics on a quarterly basis to improve the quality of information available to the public. While caution should be exercised in interpreting levels of crime between quarters, I am pleased to note that during my term of office as Minister, the quarterly crime rate has decreased from 6.7 per 1,000 population to 6 per 1,000 over the longer period of eleven quarters for which figures are available. This trend is reflected throughout most Garda districts in the country. In interpreting these figures, account has also to be taken of the introduction of the new PULSE computer system by the Garda Síochána in 1999 which led to more complete and comprehensive recording of crimes reported than was previously the case. Taking into account the significant increase in our population since 1995, the headline crime rate has fallen from 29 per 1,000 population in 1995 to 25 per 1,000 population in 2004.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the assistant commissioner of the southern region recently established a review group under the chairmanship of a chief superintendent to examine both the administrative and operational issues in relation to the areas mentioned and to make recommendations. The result of this review is not yet available. The Deputy will be aware that the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following tables show the headline crime by group from 2000 to 2005, up to 30 April, for the Cobh Garda district, which incorporates the Glanmire, Knockraha, Whitechurch and Carrignavar areas, the Mayfield Garda district, which includes the Blackpool area, the Macroom Garda district, including the Dripsey and Berrings areas, and the Gurranabraher Garda district that includes the Blarney area.

Headline Offences Recorded and Detected for Cobh Garda district from 2000 to 2005*

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004*	2005*
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Assault	20	20	24	19	55	50	50	31	30	19	24	13
Sexual Offences	8	8	31	28	24	16	24	11	10	1	2	0
Arson	2	1	4	1	10	0	9	1	2	0	3	2
Drugs	17	17	11	11	13	13	11	11	13	11	6	5
Thefts	147	63	210	58	249	59	277	61	194	70	87	51
Burglary	89	41	106	24	144	33	86	11	75	30	42	15
Robbery	2	2	1	1	4	0	3	1	4	2	2	1
Fraud	10	9	7	5	10	4	32	21	13	12	4	2
Other	3	2	8	6	17	14	13	9	11	10	2	2
Total	298	163	402	153	526	189	505	157	352	155	172	91

*Statistics for 2004 and 2005 are provisional/operational and liable to change. Statistics for 2005 are for January to April, inclusive.

Headline Offences Recorded and Detected for Mayfield Garda district from 2000 to 2005*

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004*	2005*
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	0	0	1	0	3	3	1	1	0	0	0	0
Assault	37	35	61	56	79	68	46	43	45	36	17	6
Sexual Offences	12	12	23	17	34	10	21	13	17	11	3	1
Arson	34	18	43	16	27	12	46	8	33	6	6	2
Drugs	33	33	37	37	44	44	28	28	35	34	12	12
Thefts	442	172	467	234	603	251	503	213	531	220	192	81
Burglary	250	111	261	131	258	83	202	91	245	116	57	16
Robbery	28	16	27	15	41	26	34	20	54	28	17	8
Fraud	31	23	23	19	25	15	39	28	19	14	9	6
Other	4	4	6	3	18	17	13	9	7	4	2	1
Total	871	424	949	528	1,132	529	933	454	986	469	315	133

*Statistics for 2004 and 2005 are provisional-operational and liable to change. Statistics for 2005 are for January to April, inclusive.

Headline Offences Recorded and Detected for Macroom Garda district from 2000 to 2005*

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004*	2005*
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Assault	6	6	2	2	11	10	11	10	14	14	3	3
Sexual Offences	4	4	2	2	2	1	6	5	6	6	7	6
Arson	1	0	4	2	2	2	2	0	4	1	2	1
Drugs	7	7	4	4	7	7	13	13	6	6	3	3
Thefts	41	8	66	28	87	27	76	21	108	47	34	17
Burglary	57	18	94	26	75	23	47	10	45	15	24	5
Robbery	2	1	1	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
Fraud	2	0	23	17	7	6	47	46	4	2	4	4
Other	1	1	0	0	1	1	2	2	2	1	2	2
Total	121	45	196	82	194	78	204	107	189	92	80	41

Statistics for 2004 and 2005 are provisional-operational and liable to change. Statistics for 2005 are for January to April, inclusive.

Headline Offences Recorded and Detected for Gurranabraher Garda district from 2000 to 2005*

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004*	2005*
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	2	2	1	1	3	3	1	0	1	1	0	0
Assault	25	20	47	27	73	57	59	40	49	35	23	8
Sexual Offences	10	8	13	4	30	13	16	11	23	15	6	3
Arson	32	10	10	2	30	7	31	3	32	3	10	1
Drugs	18	18	16	16	21	21	24	23	25	25	15	15
Thefts	267	87	301	86	313	82	268	78	414	109	117	27
Burglary	214	83	230	41	235	48	150	30	186	43	45	9
Robbery	11	8	16	8	10	1	19	4	14	9	2	0
Fraud	32	29	10	8	8	5	19	14	44	40	9	7
Other	0	0	7	4	24	21	13	11	8	5	2	1
Total	611	265	651	197	747	258	600	214	796	285	229	71

*Statistics for 2004 and 2005 are provisional-operational and liable to change. Statistics for 2005 are for January to April, inclusive.