Crime Levels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2005

Tuesday, 17 May 2005

Ceisteanna (274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279)

David Stanton

Ceist:

274 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Cobh area of County Cork for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 under each headline, including the total recorded and detected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15984/05]

David Stanton

Ceist:

275 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Youghal area of County Cork for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 under each headline, including the total recorded and detected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15985/05]

David Stanton

Ceist:

276 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Midleton area of County Cork for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 under each headline, including the total recorded and detected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15986/05]

David Stanton

Ceist:

277 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Fermoy area of County Cork for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 under each headline, including the total recorded and detected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15987/05]

David Stanton

Ceist:

278 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Mitchelstown area of County Cork for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 under each headline, including the total recorded and detected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15988/05]

David Stanton

Ceist:

279 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for the Mallow area of County Cork for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 under each headline, including the total recorded and detected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15989/05]

Freagraí scríofa

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 to 279, inclusive, together.

With regard to 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 population over the longer period of 11 quarters for which figures are available. This trend is reflected throughout most Garda districts.

In interpreting these figures account has 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 note 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 Cobh Garda district, Midleton Garda district which covers Youghal, Fermoy Garda district which covers the Mitchelstown area, and Mallow Garda district.

Headline offences for Cobh 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	0	0	0	0
Assault	30	19	50	31	55	50	24	19	20	20
Sexual Offences	10	1	24	11	24	16	31	28	8	8
Arson	2	0	9	1	10	0	4	1	2	1
Drugs	13	11	11	11	13	13	11	11	17	17
Thefts	194	70	277	61	249	59	210	58	147	63
Burglary	75	30	86	11	144	33	106	24	89	41
Robbery	4	2	3	1	4	0	1	1	2	2
Fraud	13	12	32	21	10	4	7	5	10	9
Other	11	10	13	9	17	14	8	6	3	2
Total	352	155	505	157	526	189	402	153	298	163

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

Headline offences for Midleton 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	3	3	1	1	0	0
Assault	18	13	27	16	32	24	26	22	20	20
Sexual Offences	13	4	11	5	36	25	21	19	6	5
Arson	3	0	4	1	11	6	7	2	4	1
Drugs	29	28	21	18	26	25	15	15	7	7
Thefts	290	102	276	71	306	46	188	80	177	84
Burglary	145	33	148	45	154	25	137	49	91	30
Robbery	2	0	2	1	3	2	4	2	3	1
Fraud	29	21	36	24	29	14	25	24	30	27
Other	7	7	9	8	10	4	8	7	2	2
Total	536	208	534	189	610	174	432	221	340	177

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

Headline offences for Fermoy 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	0	0	0	0
Assault	18	17	34	27	37	28	24	21	10	10
Sexual Offences	6	3	17	7	26	21	4	1	3	3
Arson	6	5	6	0	4	1	1	0	0	0
Drugs	14	13	13	12	18	17	12	12	7	7
Thefts	169	51	209	44	223	66	170	64	127	54
Burglary	101	14	138	10	133	28	88	15	68	19
Robbery	1	0	4	0	2	0	0	0	1	1
Fraud	26	21	19	14	22	8	14	9	25	24
Other	5	4	2	0	7	5	2	2	1	1
Total	346	128	442	114	472	174	315	124	242	119

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

Headline offences for Mallow 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	0	0	0	0
Assault	23	16	22	16	36	31	14	10	10	10
Sexual Offences	1	1	4	3	6	3	9	3	2	2
Arson	3	0	8	3	2	0	1	0	4	2
Drugs	15	13	4	4	7	7	3	3	6	6
Thefts	187	75	275	85	205	51	147	48	154	87
Burglary	91	16	112	16	103	14	104	26	83	25
Robbery	4	0	4	1	6	1	3	2	0	0
Fraud	28	25	34	26	24	18	13	12	7	7
Other	10	6	9	5	6	6	3	3	1	1
Total	362	152	472	159	395	131	297	107	267	140

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