Widespread fear of crime and the need for more gardaí on patrol were some of the results of a survey carried out on Limerick by Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan.
Designed to test public opinion on crime it has says that, on average, 88 per cent of respondents are afraid of crime against themselves, their family or property.
The survey reports 38 per cent, or a member of the respondent's family, have been victims of crime.
Over half of respondents (52 per cent) were most concerned about antisocial behaviour, in contrast with 8 per cent most concerned about petty crime and 26 per cent about gangland crime.
Confidence in the Garda's ability to combat crime was significant at 40 per cent and in comparative terms was much higher than confidence in the ability of the courts (16 per cent) or the Government (22 per cent).
Nearly 85 per cent questioned believe that drug abuse is widespread in Limerick, but only 38 per cent thought it was widespread in their own neighbourhood. Alcohol was thought to be a cause of crime by 92 per cent who returned the survey.
An overwhelming 98 per cent thought that Limerick needs extra gardaí and 92 per cent believed that those extra forces should patrol on foot rather than in squad cars. A significant majority want gardaí assigned to anti-crime duties rather than traffic duties.