Crime
Many people have expressed concerns to me regarding crime and crime related issues. Contrary to what many the media lead you to believe, Ireland enjoys very low serious crime rates. Ireland consistently ranks at the bottom of international homicide league tables issued by the United Nations! Whilst murders do occur here, and are to be deplored utterly, statistically speaking they are a rarity. One is more likely to die in an industrial accident in Ireland then to be the victim of a homicide. On average there are between 50 and 60 homicides in Ireland every year. By contrast, there are approximately 75 work-related deaths every year. Combined with this, the Gardai have a very high crime detection rate. The Gardai commission annual attitudinal surveys which seek to gauge the public mood regarding crime issues. These surveys consistently conclude that the Gardai enjoy the support of the vast majority the population and only a small minority of the population express fear of becoming victims of crime.
The reality is Ireland has a very low crime rate in international terms, and has a police force which is effective at detecting crimes and is supported by the vast majority of the population it serves. The risks of becoming a victim of crime and in particular a serious or violent crime in Ireland is very limited. However there is a deep public misunderstanding of crime levels and the risks of becoming victims of crime. For example, in 1982 there were almost 21,000 reported instances of motor vehicle theft. In 2005 this figure had dropped dramatically to just over 13,000 vehicles. However, the number of vehicles on the roads in Ireland had greatly increased. In 1985, there were slightly over 900,000 vehicles on the roads. By 2005, this figure had more than doubled to almost 2.1 million. So, in real terms, vehicle theft has dramatically reduced over the last 20 years. To summarise, we can rest easy in our beds that Ireland is a relatively safe place to live, with low serious crime rates and an excellent and well thought of police force. The risk of becoming a victim of serious crime in this Country, thankfully, is small. I am not saying for one second that crime and indeed serious crime is not an issue. Serious crime such as murder, assault and sexual assaults do occur in Ireland but are not as commonplace as you might think and are very low but international comparison. Nevertheless, there is still a risk, albeit a low risk, of becoming a victim of serious crime. By taking the usual reasonable precautions, locking doors and windows, vigilance, reporting matters to the Gardai etc., you can reduce even further the already low risk of becoming a victim of a serious crime. Low level criminality, such a graffiti and anti social behaviour etc., is however a real problem and must be dealt with to improve the quality of life for all of us. I propose to ensure that it is dealt with for once and for all in our area. Yours sincerely, Éamonn---------------------------Councillor Eamonn Walsh
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