Update: Recording Crime, 8th July 2015

QUESTION NO:  263

DÁIL QUESTION  addressed to the Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald)
by Deputy Bernard J. Durkan
for WRITTEN on Tuesday, 7th July, 2015.   

 
  *  To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which various categories of crime continue to be recorded in each Garda Síochána division and district; all such forms of crime continue to receive the attention of An Garda Síochána; if all such reported crime continues to attract detection and attrition; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

                                            – Bernard J. Durkan

 
REPLY.

As the Deputy will be aware, Central Statistics Office recently resumed publication of the official Recorded Crime Statistics, following its examination of the issues arising in the Garda Inspectorate Report on Crime Investigation. The latest statistics published are for the twelve month period ending with Quarter 1 of 2015 and they set out recent trends in recorded crime, showing decreases in most crime categories including a significant drop of 40% in homicide offences.  In addition Public Order offences were down by 7.9%, Robbery and Related Offences were down by 6.6% and Weapons and Explosives Offences decreased by 8.4%.  The full breakdown of the crime statistics has been published on the CSO website.  All crime trends are monitored by Garda management and appropriate policing responses are put in place at both a national and local level.

The CSO also published an analysis of the issues arising from the Inspectorate Report and I welcomed this review as an important step in securing the integrity of our national crime statistics.  A programme of work is underway in An Garda Síochána to address the issues identified and further new measures are to be introduced later this year. It is essential that we have access to accurate, reliable data on crime, and the CSO will continue to work with An Garda Síochána to address the issues identified in relation to the recording of crime incidents and detections, and has also indicated that it will repeat its analysis of the data quality issues at regular intervals.