Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there has been a noticeable increase in break-ins or robberies of pharmacies in the north Dublin area in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19333/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of robbery and burglary offences of chemist premises recorded to date in 2006 in the Northern Division of the Dublin Metropolitan Region is 7 and 4, respectively. Figures provided are provisional, operational and liable to change. I am pleased to see that the Garda Policing Plan 2006, under the heading "Policy Reviews 2006" includes a commitment to assessing causes of the rise in crimes of burglary in 2005. This work has commenced with a view to reversing the current upward trend and identifying strategies to target this significant issue. This includes mounting special operations in particular problem areas.

It should be borne in mind that any interpretation of the crime figures should factor in the increase in our population in the past ten years. In 1995, with a population of almost 3.6 million people, there were 29 crimes per 1,000 of the population. In 2005, with a population of over 4.1 million, there were 24.6 crimes per 1,000 of the population, a reduction of 4.4 crimes per 1,000 of the population.