There were 34 armed robberies in the first four weeks of this year, compared to 48 in the last three months of 1999, the Minister of State for Justice, Ms Mary Wallace, disclosed.

She said the Minister, Mr O'Donoghue, was concerned about the rise in such robberies and he had raised the matter with the Garda Commissioner.

Ms Wallace said that according to Garda statistics around £470,000 had been taken in armed robberies during the last quarter of l999. Thirty-seven people had been arrested in respect of these offences and more than £12,000 had been recovered.

The comparable figures for 2000 indicated that there were 34 armed robberies and about £110,000 was taken. She understood that 28 people had been arrested and that almost £13,000 had been recovered.

In the longer term, however, the available statistics indicated a strong and sustained decrease in armed crime in recent years. The level of armed crime in l998 was approximately 40 per cent of the l995 value.

The statistics also showed that the detection rate over those five years had risen from 28 per cent in l995 to 40 per cent two years ago.

Mr Jim Higgins, the Fine Gael spokesman on justice, said the total of 34 armed raids in January was totally unacceptable.

"Does she accept that rather than zero tolerance it shows a growing tolerance? The vast majority of such cases do not even feature in newspapers.

"Apart from expressing horror, dismay and worry, are there any plans to meet the Garda Commissioner and work out a strategy to curb such crimes?"