Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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102. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the increase or decrease of crime here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8510/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that responsibility for the compilation and publication of crime statistics is a matter for the Central Statistics Office, as the independent national statistical agency. The CSO has previously indicated that it is carrying out a detailed analysis of certain issues raised by the Garda Inspectorate in relation to the recording, classification and reclassification of crime, to see whether and to what extent they may have implications for the crime statistics which that Office produces.This process is currently ongoing and the CSO has indicated that it has resulted in a delay in publishing the Quarter 3 statistics for 2014. The figures published up to Quarter 2 in 2014 indicate a reduction in the overall number of offences recorded in the 12 months to that date.

Insofar as burglary offences are concerned, and as I indicated in my remarks as referred to by the Deputy, I am very conscious of the concerns which relate to these crimes and working closely with the Garda Commissioner and other relevant criminal justice agencies to ensure that an effective, whole of system response is in place. I understand that the general trend is that, having fallen in 2013, there has been an increase in such offences during 2014.

An Garda Síochána are pursuing a range of strategies to tackle this, including the establishment of Burglary Response Units and through operations such as Operation Fiacla and Operation Acer, which are focusing on identifying and targeting the criminal groups who have played a large part in the recent increase. In addition to these policing responses, I am also carrying out a broader and urgent review of the criminal justice system's response to the problem of burglaries. This includes a focus on interagency measures in relation to the management of prolific offenders, visible policing, crime prevention support for communities, and an examination of legislative issues. Burglary is a persistent and highly damaging crime, and I am determined to tackle it on a number of fronts, and through a partnership approach between criminal justice agencies and the community.

In relation to the closure of Garda stations, the Deputy will be aware that the decisions made in 2013 in this regard were the result of a comprehensive operational assessment carried out by the Garda Commissioner, the objective of which was to ensure that Garda resources are used in the best and most efficient way possible. In particular, freeing up Gardaí from desk duties has increased the number of Gardaí available for frontline policing and confronting crime. While the deployment of resources is kept under review at all times by the Garda Commissioner, none of the advice to me suggests that the closure of Garda stations is a significant factor in the recent increase in burglary, or that its reopening would contribute materially to a solution. Tackling highly mobile gangs involved in burglary will not be helped by reopening Garda stations, as to do so would take Gardaí away from visible front line policing and crime prevention.