Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I certainly will discuss with the Minister the positive suggestions made by Deputy Gilmore. As he is aware, I raised one of them previously and the previous Garda Commissioner did not consider the mandatory basis to be a priority. However, I will raise both proposals again.

I will comment on the figures. Yesterday, the Minister advised me the Garda works closely with international law enforcement agencies in targeting the activities of Irish criminals who operate outside the jurisdiction. The offices both of Europol and Interpol also are used extensively to co-ordinate the exchange of intelligence in the targeting of such criminals. In addition, for a number of years the Garda Síochána has posted liaison officers to London, Paris, Madrid and the Hague. Their function is to liaise with law enforcement authorities in those jurisdictions in the context of serious criminal activity with an Irish dimension. Other jurisdictions do the same and it is necessary to so do because many such criminals try to operate on a hands-off basis in this jurisdiction by having others carry out their activities while living abroad themselves.

The Garda Síochána also has appointed liaison officers to Europol, which is based in the Hague, and to Interpol, which is based in Lyons. It soon is to have a liaison officer assigned to the analysis and operations centre based in Lisbon, which is the drug trafficking, intelligence and interdiction centre. The Garda works with law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions as well trying to have exchanges of strategic intelligence on the activities and modus operandi of criminal networks involved in organised crime. It also conducts investigations within the State at the request of foreign law enforcement agencies in accordance with legislation governing mutual assistance in criminal matters. In addition, the Criminal Assets Bureau continues its statutory remit on these issues.

The figures are as outlined by Deputy Gilmore. The number of homicides has increased from 67 in 2006 to 84 last year. The Garda Commissioner's reported detection rate in respect of murders and manslaughters last year was 68% and 100% respectively. The Garda is working hard in respect of firearms and gang-related crime in particular. The level in this regard was reduced significantly last year and it was not in this area that problems arose.

There was a doubling of the number of homicides involving stabbing from 18 to 36. That is where the difficulty lay last year. It shows that, despite our having had a number of campaigns on knives, particularly in 2005, a knife amnesty and efforts on foot of the policing plan to deal with this issue, they did not prove effective last year. The figure has doubled and there is no argument about that. This year's policing plan reflects the intensified efforts of the Garda to tackle knife crime and includes a campaign aimed at discouraging people from carrying knives. We must get the message across and I will play my part in doing so. Carrying knives not only attracts heavy penalties but can lead to disastrous consequences. We must also be conscious that domestic violence can ultimately lead to death and in this regard we continue to support the efforts of COSC, the agency spearheading the tackling of domestic violence.

The Garda Commissioner has reported that the overall detection rate for headline offences last year, 41%, represents a slight increase, yet the figure needs to increase further. That there has been a substantial increase in drug-related detections is to be welcomed.

The budget for the Garda in dealing with all these issues and for the policing plan for this year is €1.6 billion. We must maintain a close focus on trying to reduce the crime rates. In spite of an increase in population, the figures are still high.

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