Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Taoiseach when the Central Statistics Office will be in a position to publish more recorded crime data, in view of the crime recording classification issues that came to light in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15162/15]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The publication of recorded crime statistics has been temporarily suspended by the CSO. This decision has been made on foot of the Garda Inspectorate report on Crime Investigation, published 11th November 2014.

The CSO understands that, while the claims in the report relates to the work of the Garda Síochána, the issues raised may have an impact on level and classification of CSO recorded crime statistics. Given such claims, the CSO could not continue to publish official statistics without a detailed examination of the issues raised by the Inspectorate.

The CSO is therefore currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the findings of the Garda Inspectorate report to assess the extent to which the findings of the Inspectorate are reflected in the data made available to the CSO for the compilation of recorded crime statistics.

On completion of this analysis the CSO will decide whether to resume publication of recorded crime statistics. If publication is resumed, users will be provided with a comprehensive analysis of the quality of the data source used for statistical purposes and by extension the quality of the recorded crime statistics. Therefore, the CSO cannot currently state a date on which the publication of crime statistics will be resumed.