Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of reported incidents of anti-social behaviour throughout County Kildare in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21809/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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In respect of 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 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. 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. Statistics relating to 2000 and 2001 are not comparable with the statistics for subsequent years. This is due to the phased introduction of a new IT based charge and summons system by the Garda Síochána in 2001. The first full year captured on the new crime recording system for proceedings commenced was 2002.