Crime Levels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2005

Tuesday, 17 May 2005

Ceisteanna (265, 266, 267)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

265 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the headline offences recorded and detected for the Drogheda area from 2000 to 2004. [15926/05]

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

266 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the headline offences recorded and detected for the Ardee, County Louth area, from 2000 to 2004. [15927/05]

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

267 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the headline offences recorded and detected for the Dundalk area from 2000 to 2004. [15928/05]

Freagraí scríofa

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 267, inclusive, together.

As regards 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 six 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. The Deputy will also wish to be aware that, 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.

The following tables show the headline offences for the years 2000 to 2004, inclusive, for the Drogheda Garda district, the Dundalk Garda district and the Navan Garda district which covers the Ardee area.

Headline Offences for Drogheda Garda District for the years 2000 to 2004*

Year	2004*	2003	2002	2001	2000
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	2	2	2	1	0	0	1	1	3	3
Assault	42	19	45	23	43	36	37	29	20	16
Sexual Offences	17	6	22	11	23	15	17	10	13	11
Arson	42	2	33	5	33	7	43	15	13	4
Drugs	22	22	30	30	18	17	16	16	17	17
Thefts	646	194	570	168	585	183	416	130	358	134
Burglary	384	40	299	31	342	90	344	95	309	39
Robbery	20	5	20	6	25	9	18	13	21	9
Fraud	38	20	51	40	67	40	26	22	47	38
Other	12	9	8	4	42	40	10	7	6	5
Total	1,225	319	1,080	319	1,178	437	928	338	807	276

*Statistics for 2004 are provisional-operational and liable to change.

Headline Offences for Dundalk Garda District for the years 2000 to 2004*

Year	2004*	2003	2002	2001	2000
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	2	1	2	2	2	2	0	0	5	0
Assault	67	47	84	61	149	99	114	76	72	46
Sexual Offences	36	18	33	18	57	43	24	16	22	17
Arson	49	9	61	7	65	6	55	4	25	1
Drugs	10	10	9	9	9	9	9	9	7	7
Thefts	609	156	796	162	749	243	581	244	420	151
Burglary	465	69	442	49	416	60	370	50	353	53
Robbery	27	8	28	8	38	12	16	6	43	14
Fraud	78	48	56	30	97	53	111	91	72	58
Other	33	16	25	14	41	28	18	9	15	9
Total	1,376	382	1,536	360	1,623	555	1,298	505	1,034	356

*Statistics for 2004 are provisional-operational and liable to change.

Headline Offences for Navan Garda District for the years 2000 to 2004*

Year	2004*	2003	2002	2001	2000
	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec	Rec	Dec
Homicide	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	2
Assault	43	36	47	39	38	34	30	27	27	24
Sexual Offences	15	8	18	14	21	15	9	5	7	5
Arson	17	4	12	5	10	4	8	4	5	2
Drugs	5	5	4	4	9	8	15	15	11	11
Thefts	486	142	370	129	432	123	334	116	217	91
Burglary	292	38	328	39	318	42	281	75	272	74
Robbery	22	8	11	1	12	1	18	9	5	4
Fraud	26	13	10	8	42	32	32	26	48	42
Other	5	3	13	10	8	7	10	9	3	3
Total	911	257	813	249	890	266	738	287	597	258

*Statistics for 2004 are provisional-operational and liable to change.