Call for more gardaí due to soaring crime rates
Ministers tonight faced calls for more gardaí on the streets as new figures showed soaring serious crime figures.
Figures released by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell showed murder and manslaughter were up 17% for the 12 months to the end of September 2005 compared to the previous year, while robbery from establishments was up 20% and drug-dealing crimes rose 18%.
The figures showed a slight drop in overall crime rates of 0.2%, with significant reductions in aggravated sexual assault (down 56%), rape of a female (down 11%) and robbery from the person (down 26%).
But there was an increase of 0.4% in the overall figures for first three quarters of 2005 compared with the same period in 2004, and a rise of 5.5% in the third quarter of 2005 compared to the third quarter of 2004.
Labour Justice spokesman Joe Costello called on Mr McDowell to end his self-congratulation and take concrete action to tackle the worrying increases.
“What is most worrying is the significant increase in violent crime, particularly the number of murders and manslaughters.
“A significant number of these were gun murders and they indicate the relative ease with which criminals are able to access deadly weapons and their willingness to use them,” Mr Costello said.
“The steady increase in the number of drug offences is also a matter of worry.
“While the gardaí and Customs have both had a series of successful high profile seizures in recent weeks, it seems that this represents only the tip of the iceberg and that many consignments are still getting through to bring suffering and death to communities and massive profits for the drugs barons,” the Labour spokesman said.
He called for properly resourced all-year round policing and the visible presence of a greater number of gardaí on the ground.
While Mr McDowell warned care should be taken over interpreting the statistics, he admitted the increases were disappointing.
“While I am pleased that the latest year-on-year statistics show a continued decrease in the incidence of headline crime, I am very concerned by the increase in the first three quarters of 2005 and in the quarter on quarter figures.
“Although An Garda Síochána this year has the highest level of resources ever in its history, all concerned, including the legislators, must continue our efforts in combating incidents of crime,” he said.
Mr McDowell hailed Operation Anvil, which he said had contributed to encourage outcomes including the increase in the detection of possession of firearms by 21%.
“Operation Anvil is tackling the gun culture which was emerging in certain parts of Dublin.
“The Commissioner has informed me that the total number of headline offences in the Dublin Metropolitan Region fell from 35,377 to 33,536, a reduction of 5%, in the first three quarters of this year compared to the same period in 2004.”
Mr McDowell said recent figures showed Operation Anvil had led to 812 arrests in connection with murder, serious assaults, burglary, robbery and other serious offences as well as the seizure of 176 firearms and the recovery of stolen property worth around €2.2m.
But he said: “The Government recognises, however, that a great deal more remains to be done and this is reflected in the Government’s comprehensive approach, thorough for example, the recruitment of an additional 2,000 gardaí.”
