Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gun associated robberies reported in County Kildare in each of the past five years; if successful prosecutions have been taken in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21800/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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With regard to crime figures, the Deputy will be aware that on becoming Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I arranged for the publication of headline crime statistics on a quarterly basis in order to improve the quality of information available to the public. While caution should be exercised in interpreting levels of crime between quarters, I am pleased to note that during my term of office as Minister, the quarterly crime rate has decreased from 6.7 per 1,000 population to six per 1,000 over the longer period of 11 quarters for which figures are available. This trend is reflected throughout most Garda districts in the country. In interpreting these figures, account must also to be taken of the introduction of the new PULSE computer system by the Garda Síochána in 1999, which led to more complete and comprehensive recording of crimes reported than was previously the case. The Deputy will also wish to be aware that, taking into account the significant increase in our population since 1995, the headline crime rate has fallen from 29 per 1,000 population in 1995 to 25 per 1,000 population in 2004.

With regard to the extent of the number of prosecutions, as the Deputy is aware, the Director of Public Prosecutions is statutorily independent in the performance of his function and it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment on his decisions. Furthermore, judges are independent in the exercise of their judicial functions and subject only to the Constitution and the law. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on their decisions also.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following tables show the robbery offences where a firearm was involved for each Garda district in the Carlow-Kildare division from 2000 to 2004.