FG calls for gardaí to get cameras

Fine Gael Seanad Justice and Equality Spokesperson Senator Sheila Terry said today that gardaí should be equipped with cameras in order to record domestic violence injuries, following a dramatic drop in the number of domestic violence convictions.

"Justice Minister Michael McDowell should equip gardaí with video cameras to take to domestic violence crime scenes and gather evidence at an early stage, as happens in the UK.

"I am making this call because the number of convictions is falling while the number of incidents is growing.

"On average there are 22 incidents of domestic violence every day, yet, according to the most recent Garda Annual Report, fewer then one in ten incidents resulted in conviction in 2002.

"The number of convictions actually halved between 2001 and 2002, from 1,286 to 651, a drop of 49%. But the number of reported incidents rose from 9,983 to 10,248 in the same period.