McDowell apology fails to defuse row on crime

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell crossed the floor of the Dáil yesterday to shake hands with Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton, a day after comparing him to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.

But while that action, combined with Mr McDowell’s earlier apology, drew a line under the personal row, the Government was unable to shake off criticism about its record on tackling crime.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was forced to concede that Mr Bruton had been technically correct when asserting on Sunday that the number of gardaí in Dublin had increased by just two last year.

It was in responding to that claim on Monday that a furious Mr McDowell made the Goebbels comparison. Yet Mr Bruton had used figures supplied to him by the Justice Minister himself to make the assertion.

The figures, contained in a response to a parliamentary question, showed that on December 31, 2004, there were 3,740 gardaí across Dublin’s 18 policing districts. A year later, that number stood at 3,742.

However, Mr Ahern explained yesterday that the latter figure did not include approximately 50 officers who were transferred to Operation Anvil.

Mr Ahern initially seemed to suggest Mr Bruton had deliberately ignored this fact, saying: “As one who is good with mathematics, I think Deputy Bruton will accept that when making a comparison, it is wrong to exclude 50 people.”

But amidst a flurry of angry interventions from the opposition, Mr Ahern conceded there had been no mention of the 50 officers in the figures provided to Mr Bruton.

He went on to insist that the number of gardaí available to Dublin stations had increased every month last year. It currently stood at 3,794, a number which did not include the several hundred officers assigned to special units.

In addition to increases in Dublin, the overall strength of the force, including trainees, would reach 14,000 by Christmas, he promised.

But Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny pointed out that, despite increased resources, detection rates were dropping and the number of serious crimes was increasing.

“Every year since 1998, detection rates have fallen,” Mr Kenny said. “Serious crime has increased by almost 20% since 1998. Last year, 54 murders occurred, 16 more than in 1997, a 42% increase. Rape increased by 61% and firearm offences by a whopping 440% in the same period. These crimes terrorise families, communities and individuals.”

Referring to Mr McDowell, he added: “If this minister survives for another 12 months, he will have presided over half a million serious crimes, which is truly a horrific legacy.”

Meanwhile, in addition to apologising to Mr Bruton, Mr McDowell also withdrew remarks he made recently about Green Party TD John Gormley.

Speaking in the Dáil on March 9, Mr McDowell had claimed that, during the Dublin riots, the city centre office of the Progressive Democrats was “ransacked by a group of Deputy Gormley’s type of people”.