Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The publication of crime statistics is a matter for the Central Statistics Office, as the independent national statistical agency. The CSO is carrying out, at my urging having met it, an investigation and detailed analysis of certain issues raised by the Garda Inspectorate on the recording, classification and reclassification of crime to see whether and to what extent they may have implications for the crime statistics which that office produces.

There has been some comment about the last quarter of last year not yet being available. That is because they are doing this exercise, and I want to put that on the record of the House. Those statistics will be available shortly and I will make them available to the Deputy.

I am very aware of the concerns in regard to burglary and I am working closely with the Garda Síochána and other relevant criminal justice agencies to ensure an effective, whole-of-system response is in place. The general trend fell in 2013, as the Deputy knows, but there has been an increase overall in burglary offences. It is a heinous crime and has a dreadful impact on people.

The Garda Síochána is reacting to those increases, very often carried out by mobile gangs moving into an area. The Garda has responded through Operation Acer, which is in force throughout the Dublin metropolitan region. I have had discussions with the Garda Commissioner and other relevant agencies on this. The operation involves burglary response units attached to each division taking the lead, which is very important. There have been a number of initiatives in the Deputy's area. This work is monitoring the movements of burglary suspects and has resulted in many successful arrests. These operations are being co-ordinated by the Garda in a very careful way. Since Operation Acer commenced in early 2012, there have been almost 5,500 arrests, 2,746 charges and 1,087 convictions for burglary in the Dublin area up to 3 February 2015.

The Deputy asked what I am doing. There is clearly a practical operational issue for the Garda in this regard but, equally, I am looking at the legislative changes that may be necessary and the criminal justice response to burglary. We need to consider an inter-agency response to make sure we are bringing together all of those working on crime prevention and that we have support in the communities, as is being developed in the Dublin area, where communities are themselves taking action through text messaging and various other initiatives. I am examining whether other legislative changes ought to be introduced in regard to this issue.

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