Crime rate up by 20 per cent in 2001, new figures show

The crime rate for last year was up by 18 per cent, according to figures released by the Department of Justice this afternoon.

The government that promised a policy of zero tolerance of crime has instead presided over an unprecedented descent into violence and thuggery Labour justice spokesman Mr Pat Rabbitte

There were 86,621 offences in 2001, an increase of 13,345 on the previous year. It is the first rise in recorded crime for five years.

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, described the figures as "both disappointing and worrying".

Murders rose by a third, from 39 in 2000 to 52 cases in 2001. Assaults were up by a massive 93 per cent to 3,841. Sexual offences increased by 886 to 1,956, or 83 per cent.

Other notable increases were in robbery and burglary, which accounted for over half the total rise, at 8,000 offences.

Drug crimes are also up by a third.

Mr McDowell said the rise required urgent analysis of the underlying causes of crime and what action is to be taken. "We must tackle the causes of crime, which involves addressing a wide range of societal issues such as marginalisation, educational and social deficits, housing issues, questions of parental responsibility and so on."

He also promised to look into strengthening current criminal legislation to deal with offenders and provide "sufficient resources" to fight crime. The Government was committed to expanding prison capacity and appointing 2,000 extra gardaí, he said.

He would also oversee the significant changes in the running of the Garda Síochána, as recommended in the Garda Strategic Management Initiative.

This was dismissed by the Labour Party, who claimed the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, was planning to block the recruitment of the additional gardaí as part of his crackdown on public spending.

Labour said the statistics published were "a truly shocking indictment" of the previous government and Mr McDowell’s predecessor, Mr John O'Donoghue.

"The government that promised a policy of zero tolerance of crime has instead presided over an unprecedented descent into violence and thuggery," said justice spokesman Mr Pat Rabbitte.

He also accused Fianna Fáil of withholding the figures until after the General Election, despite preliminary results being available as early as last January.

Fine Gael similarly expressed dismay at the figures, with frontbencher Ms Olivia Mitchell forecasting that the State was entering the "most disastrous days of street violence this country has ever seen".

She accused the Government of a "gross dereliction" of their duty to protect citizens.

Sinn Féin’s justice spokesman, Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh, said Mr McDowell should now "end his campaign against asylum-seekers and travellers and concentrate on tackling crime".