Calls for tackling of street violence

The Minister for Justice has said the problem of street violence throughout the State has to be tackled.

"That is a matter which has to be tackled from a criminal justice perspective, but it is also a problem which has to be measured from a societal perspective," Mr O'Donoghue added. "We have to look at the reasons for these assaults and seek to tackle them at source."

The Labour spokesman on justice, Mr Brendan Howlin, said reducing crime was the Minister's responsibility. Mr O'Donoghue said he accepted responsibility for the criminal justice aspect of the matter: "I am merely pointing out that an increase in violence among young men, in particular, has a lot to do with the mores of the day."

Earlier the Fine Gael spokesman on justice, Mr Alan Shatter, said that, based on Garda crime statistics for 2000, there were 30 victims of assault daily throughout the State. "Is he aware there are 211 victims of assault per week on our streets? Is he aware that as we raised this issue this afternoon, there are two young men still unconscious in the same ward in Cork University Hospital as a consequence of horrific assaults? Is he aware there are other young men in Dublin hospitals as a result of assaults perpetrated on them?" he asked.

He also asked the Minister to confirm that the 131 per cent increase in assaults causing harm between 1999 and 2000 was not the end of the matter and that there had been a further substantial increase last year. Mr O'Donoghue said the 131 per cent increase related to serious offences, assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He added that the Garda had never been better resourced than at present.

Since 1997 its budget had been increased by over 50 per cent.

"We have put in place more than 42 pieces of legislation in this and the other House. The number of gardaí has been increased to 11,700 and is on target to achieve a strength of 12,000. We have increased the number of prison spaces," he added.

Overall, crime had fallen by about 27 per cent since the Government came into office.