- CSO publishes the official crime statistics for the full year of 2017 ‘Under Reservation’, bringing the crime statistic publications up to date.
- Minister Flanagan expresses concern over rises in a number of crime categories.
- Homicide figures for the years 2003-2016 have been revised by the CSO. Minister Flanagan awaits the outcome of the Garda review into homicide statistics, which is being carried out by An Garda Síochána in conjunction with the CSO and the Policing Authority.
- Minister Flanagan reiterates Government’s ongoing commitment to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources necessary to tackle all forms of criminality in the State.
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan T.D., today welcomed the recommencement of the publication of Official Crime Statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The Minister said
“I welcome today’s publication of the official crime statistics for 2017. It is hugely important for the management of criminal justice policy, and for Garda operations, that we have regular publication of the crime statistics to allow for a targeted response to crime. While I note that the CSO has published these statistics “Under Reservation”, I believe today’s move is a positive step in returning the crime statistics to the high standard required of our crime statistics by the CSO.”
The number of homicide offences recorded in 2016 were revised from a figure of 71 to 91. In 2017, the recorded homicide figure was 71, a decrease of 22% on 2016 figures. The Minister said
“The homicide statistics, as we expected, show increases in previously released data which can be attributed to the ongoing review of the homicide stats. There is clearly more work to be done in this area and An Garda Síochána, in conjunction with the CSO and the Policing Authority are working to ensure that the issues in relation to the crime statistics are resolved as a matter of urgency.”
The CSO figures also show increases in property-related crime over the 12 months of 2017 when compared to the revised 2016 figures with:
Burglary up 3% .
Robbery up 4.5%.
Theft up 8%.
There have also been increases in the sexual offences category which is up 17%.
Commenting on today’s figures, the Minister said
“While I am disappointed that after a number of years of largely positive trends in relation to the different crime categories, today’s readjusted figures indicate a change in those trends which will need to be examined. Of course, the figures for 2017, particularly in relation to property-related crime such as burglary, must be viewed against the significant decrease that was achieved by An Garda Síochána in 2016 of 30%. While there has been a slight increase in burglary offences recorded in 2017 of 3%, this figure is still down 27% when compared to 2015 - coinciding with the introduction of Garda Operation Thor and the investment of significant Government resources.”
Speaking about the figures in relation to sexual offences, the Minister said:
“The rise in the recorded incidents of sexual assault is something this Government is taking very seriously. I am currently working to bring forward the publication of the Heads of a Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2018. This Bill will increase the penalties for repeat sexual offenders. However, I would also make the point that an increase in recorded incidents of sexual assault can also indicate an increase in the reporting of sexual crimes, and I would continue to encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to An Garda Síochána.
The Minister reiterated the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. The substantial increase in Garda numbers currently underway is tangible progress on achieving the Government’s vision of an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021. By the end of 2018, Garda numbers will be at over 14,000 – a net increase of 500 on top of last year’s increase of 600. Significant investments are also underway in ICT, vehicles and accommodation. Between 2013 and 2017, about 2,000 new vehicles came on stream and between now and 2021 a further €30 million has been earmarked under the Government’s Capital plan to ensure the fleet remains modern, effective and fit for purpose. In addition, between 2016 and 2021 some €342 million will have been spent on ensuring Gardaí have access to the latest ICT technologies.
The Minister concluded by saying that
“While my concerns in relation to the crime statistics have been well documented, it is important to also recognise that Ireland is by no means the only jurisdiction that experiences issues regarding the accurate recording of crime. Indeed, the Garda Inspectorate Report on Crime Investigation 2014 is quite clear that the challenges faced by An Garda Síochána are similar to those faced by other police services around the world. For its part, the Government remains committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the necessary resources to tackle all forms of criminality in our State and have invested heavily in An Garda Síochána in recent years. It is my intention to meet with the Garda Commissioner and his management team in the near future to discuss these statistics in detail.”