Rise in street violence denied

Prevailing trends indicated that there was no appreciable increase in public order offences and street violence, the Minister for Justice said.

Mr O'Donoghue said a downward trend was being recorded in some flashpoint areas. "Of particular note is the fact that gardai encountered relatively few problems on the night of the recent Junior Certificate celebrations. Gardai have informed me that proactive policing measures on the night, combined with a high degree of parental involvement in the organisation of celebrations, were among the key factors which underpinned the low level of public order problems."

In addition, he said, more than 16,000 age cards had been issued which, together with changes in the licensing laws, were addressing underage drinking.

Mr O'Donoghue said he shared the House's concern about any act of violence or apparent trend in lawlessness. However, it was wrong to draw conclusions about trends without checking Garda data available.

"From time to time, particular forms of offending attract considerable public and media attention. This is perfectly understandable and it is currently understandable that violence among young people, which every parent is naturally concerned about, should attract more attention than other forms of offending.

"When it comes to assessing the actual incidence of any particular form of offending, however, the level of media and public attention to it cannot be taken as a reliable measure."

Mr O'Donoghue was replying to the Fine Gael spokesman on justice, Mr Alan Shatter, who said there was widespread public concern resulting from the escalation of street violence. Mr Shatter said that about one-third of the crimes committed nationally were reported to the Garda.

"Will he also acknowledge there is substantially more street violence reflected in Garda statistics? Will he accept that during the summer months, we had an orgy of street violence which resulted in a large number of people being seriously injured and in fatalities? Will he accept that his total failure of policy in this area has resulted in his policy of zero tolerance being perceived by an increasing number of people as zero competence?"

Earlier, during the resumed debate on the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill, Mr Simon Coveney (FG, Cork South Central) said the State was experiencing a growing problem with the breakdown of public order in large towns and cities.

"I am all for offering young people independence and responsibility but we must also examine the issues of parenting, teaching and religion to try to find solutions to the problem whereby many young people are out of control when outside the family home. Unfortunately, they are sometimes out of control inside the home as well."