Crime figures - Statistics do not paint full picture

WHEN the latest crime figures were released earlier this week, the findings were so encouraging that it led Justice Minister Michael McDowell to describe Ireland as one of the safest of countries.

But as revealed by today’s snapshot of the past week, statistics can be very misleading.

Over the past few days there have been three murders, including a domestic stabbing, a gangland shooting and a drunken battering. In addition, two other fatalities are the subject of garda investigations.