Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The 2004 figures show that despite more precise and more accurate recording of crime by the PULSE system which now includes all statistics, that crime has fallen from about 28.4 incidents per 100,000 of the population some years ago, to 24 per 100,000. It is still too high, but the Garda, in terms of its resources, overtime, manpower and special units, including Operation Anvil, which was launched last week, is doing a good job in these areas. It is not true that they are totally lawless areas.

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