Fine Gael's justice spokesman Jim O'Keeffe proposed changes to bail laws and pledged greater resources for the Garda Síochána last night.
"Every single person in this country, apart from the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, knows that we have a serious crime problem and escalating evidence of anti-social behaviour in all our estates, towns and cities," he maintained.
Mr O'Keeffe told party delegates that in 1998, the first full year of the Fianna Fáil/PD Government, the figure for serious crime was 85,000. The figure for 2005 was over 100,000.
"In fact we now have 500 more crimes every week than we had six years ago. Even an 8 per cent increase in crime for the first three months of this year compared to 2005, which included a murder every week, failed to bring home to the Minister the real sense of fear and insecurity of everybody living in this country today."
He said Fine Gael would ensure that crime and anti-social behaviour would be "a top priority in any government programme in which we are involved". Fine Gael would increase the numbers in the Garda force from the present level of fewer than 12,500 to the long-promised figure of 14,000 "in the shortest possible time".
They would complete the programme of civilianisation, thus "putting 500 trained gardaí on to the street where they belong, instead of behind desks writing press releases".
They would supplement the full-time members by establishing a Garda Reserve of 4,000; increase the number of sergeants and inspectors; extend the retirement age to 60 for senior members of the force beyond the current retirement age of 57.