Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue because it is topical and was on the front of today's Irish Independent as a result of yesterday's report on the Probation Service and recidivism. On a number of occasions, the Minister has quoted the CSO crime statistics in defence of some of the policies he is pursuing - for example, the closure of Garda stations and the resourcing of An Garda Síochána. That is fine but he has not quoted some of the statistics in substantiating his argument. For example, we have seen an increase nationally of 10.3% in burglaries over the past 12 months. We have seen an increase of 43% in thefts against the person and an increase of 93% in cash-in-transit robberies. The majority of those crimes are being committed in the greater Dublin area.

Unfortunately, behind every statistic is a story of a victim and a family. It is important we put it in context. Of the 28,000 burglaries which took place nationwide in the past 12 months, just over 11,000 of those took place in the greater Dublin area. We need to focus on that and hear from the Minister on yesterday's report on the Probation Service. We were told that in excess of one third of people assigned to the Probation Service by way of sentencing or repaying their debt to society, in particular in the Dublin area, re-offend while under the stewardship of the service. I think the Minister described that in his press statement yesterday as interesting. The victims of crime, in particular in the Dublin area, want to know what the Minister or, indeed, the Government has in mind. When it comes to the redress of crimes. The victims must be centre stage.

The main issue people are bringing to our attention - there are many aspects of the resourcing of An Garda Síochána which we could debate at length - are the response times of an Garda Síochána. That is critical.

I refer to other organisations outside of An Garda Síochána and the joint policing committees. Yesterday, Dublin City Council launched a campaign to raise awareness that most burglaries in the Dublin area happen between the hours of 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Does the Minister feel a little usurped by that or is he happy that local authorities must now get involved to try to promote awareness for dealing with these issues? Will the Minister comment on yesterday's report, particularly the fact that a large number of people who are under the direction of the probation service are becoming serial re-offenders, especially in the Dublin area?

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