Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has examined the underlying reasons for the dramatic increase in serious crime in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35951/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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It is not true to say there has been a dramatic increase in headline or serious crime in the past three years. For the Deputy's information, headline crime decreased by 3% in 2003 compared with 2002 and by 4% in 2004 compared with 2003. Furthermore, the Deputy should be aware that the crime rate per 1,000 of the population has fallen from 29 crimes per 1,000 in 1996 when the Deputy's party was in Government, to 24 crimes per 1,000 of the population in 2005.

The most recent headline crime statistics for the third quarter of 2005 furnished by the Garda Commissioner, which I published, show a decrease of 0.2% in the number of headline offences in the 12 months ended 30 September 2005 compared with the 12 months ended 30 September 2004. In the 12 months, some significant decreases were recorded: rape of a female was down 11%; unlawful carnal knowledge was down 15%; aggravated sexual assault was down 56%; theft from the person was down 19%; and robbery from the person was down 26%. However, there have been increases in a number of the most serious categories, including murder and manslaughter, which is up 17%, rape, section 4, which is up 45%, robbery of an establishment or institution, which is up 20%, and possession of drugs for sale or supply, which is up 18%. There was also an increase of 0.4% in the first three quarters of 2005 compared with the same period in 2004 and an increase of 5.5% in the third quarter of 2005 compared with the third quarter of 2004. There were, however, notable decreases in some of the more serious categories of crime in the figures for the first three quarters: manslaughter was down 63%; rape of a female was down 14%; aggravated sexual assault was down 57%; theft from the person was down 18%; and robbery from the person was down 27%.

Although the Garda Síochána this year has the highest level of resources ever in its history, all concerned, including this House, must continue to support its efforts in combating crime. The Government made a historic and most welcome decision in October 2004 to approve the recruitment of 2,000 additional gardaí to increase the strength of the force to 14,000. Clearly, the additional gardaí will be deployed in the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies, in particular, areas with a significant drugs problem and a large number of public order offences. It will also be possible to address other priorities, such as the need to significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic law enforcement duties. One thing I have already agreed with the Commissioner is that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing.

The Garda budget is now at an historic high of over €1.29 billion, representing an increase of 109% over the 1997 provision which stood at just under €600 million and an increase of 13% when compared with 2005. This increase in funding will allow for, inter alia, Operation Anvil, which has been extremely successful since its inception last May, to continue as long as it is deemed necessary in operational policing terms and to extend it to Garda divisions outside Dublin.

Strong provisions are already in place to combat all categories of crime, including public order offences and other related offences and alcohol related violence. These provisions include the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003, and the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003. The Criminal Justice Bill 2004, which is currently before the House, will contain a range of anti-crime measures including legislative proposals to provide for anti-social behaviour orders, a proposal to provide for criminal offences in regard to participation in a criminal organisation and a series of measures to increase sentences for the more serious range of firearms offences, including the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences in some cases. I am also introducing a new offence of illegally modifying a firearm, for example, sawing off a shotgun barrel, and the imposition of severe penalties for this offence. I believe the new provisions, together with the vastly increased Garda resources secured in the Estimates which I announced last week, will assist greatly in dealing with the scourge of gun crime and organised crime.