Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 190: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has read the log as submitted to him on 21 November 2006 from a person (details supplied) outlining the events to which they have been a witness in the period of 8 September to 20 November 2006; if his attention has been drawn to the number of events contained in that log which details events in one small part of the Moyross estate, in comparison to the number of incidents reported by the Limerick Garda division; his views on the log; and if, in view of the number of incidents contained within of the log, he stands by his written response to Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 9 November 2006 in which he states that there have been four incidents involving a petrol bomb in the Limerick Garda division to date in 2006. [42242/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda management in the Limerick Division has examined the log referred to and is satisfied that all incidents reported to the Gardaí have been properly recorded in accordance with regulations.

When recording incidents on the crime recording system, PULSE, it is not a mandatory recording requirement to indicate if a petrol-bomb was used as a weapon in an incident, it may in fact be a modus operandi. The type of incident may be recorded as arson and reference may be made to a petrol-bomb in the narrative accompanying an incident. For crime recording and statistical reasons narrative descriptions are not used or searched to produce crime statistics.

An Garda Síochána in Limerick Division has an unrivalled record in the successful investigation of serious crime and a significant effort has been made to address the most recent outburst of criminal activity including the allocation of additional Garda resources and extra patrols being performed in the affected areas. Local Garda management and personnel have the full support and confidence of the Limerick law-abiding citizens and will continue to deliver a quality policing service in targeting those involved in criminal activity.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 191: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in view of the wide discrepancy in actual and reported incidents of violence and serious crime in the Limerick Garda division, steps are being or will be taken to determine the reason for non-reporting of crime; if that is the issue, the efforts being made to address the reasons or issues relative to the under reporting of crime in some areas; if there are attempts being made to record actual incidents, other than from official complaints, in order to insure accuracy of statistics; and the resources being made available to the Limerick Garda division to address the escalation of violence in some areas of Limerick. [42243/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that all incidents reported to An Garda Síochána are recorded and investigated. An Garda Síochána cannot comment on incidents which have not been reported. The Garda authorities urge everyone to report all criminal offences and encourage any person with information relating to criminal activity to report same to any member of An Garda Síochána.

An Garda Síochána in Limerick has an unrivalled record in the successful investigation of serious crime. A significant effort has been made by local Garda management to address the ongoing serious crime situations that have developed in some areas during the past few months and additional resources have been deployed to community policing duties in the Moyross area. Additional resources have also been deployed to perform additional patrols in both the Moyross and Southill areas to target criminality.

I am further informed that Garda initiatives are continually being planned to target the activities of criminal elements in Limerick City and this is evident from the results that have been achieved during 2006. In excess of 70 firearms and ammunition have been seized and quantities of drugs including cocaine, heroin, cannabis resin and ecstasy have been recovered.

Local Garda management and personnel have the full support and confidence of the law abiding citizens of Limerick and will continue to deliver a quality policing service in targeting those involved in criminal activity.