Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there has been an increase in the instance of crimes such as burglary and car theft in recent years; if so the plans in place both to prevent such crimes and to apprehend and prosecute offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35823/05]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of incidents of burglary and car theft in a town (details supplied) in County Kildare which have been reported to the Garda each year since 1999; the number of these crimes which have resulted in the apprehension and subsequent prosecution of offenders; if he has satisfied himself that sufficient resources have been made available to the Garda to police the town concerned effectively and to investigate crimes of this nature; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35828/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.

The Garda authorities inform me that there has been a decrease in the recorded instances of burglary and car theft from 831 in 2000 to 822 in 2004 in the Naas Garda district, which includes Kill. I am further informed that the personnel strength of Kill Garda station as at 22 November 2005 was three across all ranks. Kill Garda station is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. When the station is not open the public access call box, PACB, and call diversion systems enable access to the district headquarters at Naas.

Local Garda management is satisfied that the current policing arrangements at Kill are adequate to meet the present policing needs of the area. Numbers of Garda personnel, together with overall policing arrangements and operational safety, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the general public.

The following tables detail the number of unauthorised taking of vehicles and burglary offences recorded in the Naas Garda district from 2000 to 2004. Statistics for 1999 are not available for a full year at the level of Garda district. Figures provided for 2004 are provisional, operational and liable to change. Proceedings commenced are lower in the years 2000 and 2001 due to the phased implementation of the new computer crime recording system. The first full year captured on the new system is 2002.