More sexual offences as crime rate rose by 22% in 2002

The crime rate rose by 22 per cent last year, according to the annual report of the Department of Justice for 2002.

The biggest increases were in the categories of assault (50 per cent), sexual offences (62 per cent) and larcenies (25 per cent), according to Garda figures quoted in the report.

The increase comes on top of an earlier rise of 18 per cent recorded in 2001.

However, crime declined by 27 per cent between 1996 and 2000.

The Department admitted in the report that the figures were disappointing, but pointed out that the crime rate had remained virtually stationary between 1996 and 2002 when the increase in the population was taken into account.

Since the period covered by this report, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has decided to publish provisional statistics for "headline" crime as soon as they become available.

These figures appear to show a drop in the crime rate since 2002.

There were 11,901 gardaí at the end of last year, an increase of just 933 since December 1997. The Government originally promised to recruit an additional 2,000 officers but backed off this commitment last year because of a lack of money.

The Department's report traces a massive increase in money-laundering in recent years.

In 1995 just 199 suspicious transactions were reported, but by last year this figure had grown to 4,390.

Over half of these reports led to Garda investigations into money-laundering and other criminal activity. The increase is attributed to changed legislation and an increased awareness of the issue.

Drug seizures increased in 2002 to €50 million, from €45 million in 2001 and €20 million in 2000.

Writing in the report, Mr McDowell welcomes the drug seizures made by Garda and Customs agencies.

The Criminal Assets Bureau obtained interim orders on property to the value of over €30 million and interlocutory orders on property worth over €8 million in 2002.

On the roads, gardaí issued about 53,000 on-the-spot fines for seat-belt offences, detected over 330,000 speeding offences and over 11,000 suspected drink-driving cases.

The Department said that "significant progress" had been made on the implementation of its strategy objectives, in areas such as crime, change in the Garda Síochána and immigration.

The report, which is available on the Department's website, www.justice.ie, sets out the progress made towards these objectives in each area.

The Department paid out almost €3.5 million under the scheme of compensation for injuries inflicted during a crime. Almost 300 applications were received, and the largest award was for €623,000.

It paid out a further €2.2 million in a similar scheme for prison officers. Some 101 applications were made, and the largest award was for €471,000.

A total of €2.74 million in settlements, awards and costs was paid out in respect of 138 claims arising from injuries to gardaí, injuries to civilians on Garda premises and legal actions taken by or involving gardaí.

The report also notes that 208,900 firearms certificates were issued to Irish residents. Another 4,000 certificates were issued to non-residents.

The Department's overall budget last year was €1.603 billion.