Mr. Drew Harris:

I appreciate the need for brevity. There is always an element of underreporting in respect of crime. I have no information at present to suggest that we are seeing a particular prevalence of underreporting. We always encourage people to report crime. I point to our presence on the streets. There will be an investigative response if people report crime. The assistant commissioner Ms Willis has outlined the action we have taken on prosecutions and successful detections. This is a pattern of successful work by An Garda Síochána that will continue. I would always say to people to report crime. There will always be an element of people not reporting it. Until we have a full crime survey that targets the population, it will be very difficult for us to know what the element of underreporting might be. Given the confidence reported in An Garda Síochána, I do not think underreporting would have the same prevalence as there might be in neighbouring jurisdictions on these islands or in Europe.

There is truth in stating that a small group has a disproportionate impact on crime. Again, I point to the investigative work and the focus of our uniformed units throughout the country, of our detectives, drug units and other crime teams and of the national teams. We are very conscious of those who are prolific offenders. In part, the challenge for the criminal justice system is to find a means of dealing with them. Regrettably for some it may be prison but hopefully for others it could be that their lives can be pointed in a more positive direction. A great deal of work has gone into diverting child juvenile offenders away from crime. By and large, there is success for a good proportion of them. A lot of work has been put in by youth volunteers and youth workers and by our juvenile liaison officers.

With regard to community safety partnerships, there is a very successful partnership in the north inner city. I recognise the point made by the Cathaoirleach in respect of a community. In effect, it is not an area where a large number of people reside. There are various types of communities. We have the community of business people and those who have opened shops and restaurants. A university in itself can be a community. We have to adapt to this in terms of what they might need. It is very appropriate for us to go to a university to give crime prevention advice and to encourage the reporting of crime. We have to adapt our response to the community in front of us.