Irish murder rate shows 30% increase last year

Ireland's murder rate was up by nearly a third last year over the previous 12 months, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan noted that murders involving firearms were down from 26 to 18

Overall, there were 104,946 headline crimes recorded in 2007, an increase of just 1.7 per cent over 2006, the CSO said.

The headline crime statistics are provisional figures for the number of serious crimes recorded by gardaí each year. There are a total of 99 different headline offences.

There were 78 murders in 2007, up from 60 the previous year - a 30 per cent increase. The number of manslaughters fell by one to six over the same period.

The CSO said there were 166 reported murder attempts or threats in 2007, an increase of over 61 per cent on the previous 12 months.

Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan noted that murders involving firearms, which he said were mainly drug-gang related, were down from 26 to 18. Stabbings increased, however, from 18 to 36.

Mr Lenihan said the increase in the headline figure of 1.7 per cent should be considered in the context of the increasing population and highlight the importance of the €1.6 billion Garda Síochána Policing Plan.

There were 35 cases of abduction, a 40 per cent rise over the figures for 2006. The numbers of false imprisonment cases rose by 32.7 per cent to 73.

The number of assaults causing harm dropped marginally, however, from 4,011 in 2006 to 3,832 last year.

There were 283 cases of rape reported in 2007, a 10.2 per cent drop over 2006. Sexual assault cases also fell by 13.7 per cent to 774 in 2007.

Cases of possession of drugs for sale or supply were up 19.7 per cent to 3,620, while there was a 58.5 per cent rise to 214 in the number of cases of cultivation, manufacture or importation of drugs.

Mr Lenihan said: "While drugs detections add to the overall crime figures, in reality they represent the level of Garda activity and success in tackling the drugs menace and reflect a sustained and comprehensive set of Garda operations throughout the State."

Arson cases were up 22 per cent to 1,998 and robberies were down by 12.4 per cent to 2,090.

Firearms offences were slightly more prevalent in 2007, with the number of recorded incidents of discharging a firearm up by 10.1 per cent from 297 in 2006 to 327. The number of cases of possession of firearm were up by just 1.4 per cent to 431.

The most significant rise in any category of recorded crime was in incidences of abandoning a child, child neglect and cruelty. Such cases were up 86 per cent last year over the previous year. There were 566 such cases recorded in 2007.

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy, commenting on the figures for the first time since appointment as the State's top officer, vowed to lower crime overall.

"By working with the community and using information which comes from the community, we will target criminals in well-resourced, intelligence-led operations and work to bring them before the courts," he said.

He acknowledged the figures were a cause for concern but noted a "particular challenge" was posed by the amount of murders in "private locations". The Garda would work with other agencies to assess whether the underlying issues required "more than a policing response", he added.

Fine Gael Justice Spokesman Charlie Flanagan urged longer sentencing for murderers on the back of the official figures.

Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte described the increase in homicides as "very worrying".