Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 63 together.

Beginning with the Deputy's crime statistics queries, I am informed by the Central Statistics Office, which has the statutory responsibility for the production of crime statistics, that the recorded crime statistics for 2011 are expected to be published at the end of this month. This reflects a new publication layout and schedule, as a result of which future releases will be published three months after the end of the relevant quarter. Accordingly, the CSO recorded crime statistics for the third quarter of 2011 are the most recent available official figures. These showed a welcome decrease in 12 of 14 crime groups, compared with the same quarter in 2010, as well as a decrease on an annualised basis in 11 of these 14 categories. This included reductions in homicide offences, sexual assaults, controlled-drug offences and public order offences.

In so far as the Deputy's two specific queries are concerned, the number of burglaries increased by 3.2% on an annualised basis to the end of quarter three in 2011, while assault offences were reduced by 7.4% over the same period. These and other crime trends are monitored closely by Garda management, with intelligence-led initiatives put in place to target burglary and other criminality. Special intelligence-led operations are also in place to tackle serious and organised criminal activity.

The national crime prevention unit, NCPU, and crime prevention officers at divisional level provide advice, information and support to organisations, businesses and individuals aimed at reducing burglary crime and the opportunity to commit burglary. These specially trained officers are skilled at identifying environmental design risks and advise on what mitigating action can be taken to reduce opportunities to commit burglary and other property crime.

The national crime prevention unit has designed a number of crime prevention advice leaflets, including advice on home security and burglary prevention, by means of a step-by-step checklist of requirements to reduce opportunistic burglary crime. These leaflets and the checklist are available on the Garda website. During 2012, the national Garda supporting safer communities campaign will continue to highlight key issues, in particular burglary prevention. The primary objective of this Garda community safety campaign is to engage with and raise awareness within communities of initiatives aimed at preventing crime, reducing the fear of crime and promoting community safety. The first campaign will take place in early May and the second will take place in September.

The "Crime Call" television programme, broadcast once a month to an average audience of 400,000 viewers, is often utilised to target specifically the issue of burglary prevention. Practical crime prevention advice will continue to be given to the public to highlight the most common means of entry along with effective security measures the householder can take to deter the burglar.

More broadly, the 2012 policing plan of An Garda Síochána sets out the continued commitment of An Garda Síochána to proactively target groups and individuals engaged in criminal activity, including organised criminal activities. Local Garda management closely monitors mobile and other patrols, together with other operational strategies in place, in conjunction with crime trends and policing needs of the community to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources and the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.

Garda management is satisfied that a comprehensive policing service is being delivered and that current structures meet the requirements for delivery of an effective and efficient policing service. For the Government's part, we will do everything we can to support the gardaí in their work, to provide resources as public finances permit, and to respond to any legislative needs that are identified.

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