Following publication today by the Central Statistics Office of the crime statistics for Q2 2014, Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan commented:
An Garda Síochána continues to operate a partnership approach working closely with communities in an effort to reduce crime levels. Members of An Garda Síochána across the country work tirelessly day-in, day-out to prevent and tackle crime. Our focus is on ensuring we continue this work to keep communities safe and reduce crime.
A key concern for many people is crime that impacts on their daily lives. As such, I welcome the reduction in damage to property (8.7%) and public order (13.2%).
It is also good to see a 9% decrease in the Dangerous and Negligent Acts category, which has largely been driven by a fall in dangerous driving over the alcohol limit. We continue to appeal to all road users to act responsibly, slow down and never drink and drive.
Any increase in the Homicide Offences category is of course a matter of concern for An Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána pursues all murder investigations vigorously. We have a strong record of successful detections of murders and several arrests have already been made in relation to the murders committed in Q2.
The majority of the murders in Q2 were not attributable to organised crime. However, we remain strongly focused on tackling organised crime in all its forms as we know at first-hand the devastation it brings to communities.
We continue to closely monitor emerging crime trends and put in place targeted and co-ordinated measures to tackle them.
For example, while the rate of burglaries is more or less flat this quarter, aggravated burglaries have increased. As well as on-going operations nationally and locally to tackle this area, earlier today we launched a national information campaign to advise people on how to protect their homes during the longer evenings when burglaries typically increase.”
