It is time to recruit extra gardaí

NOBODY will quibble with Justice Minister Michael McDowell’s description of crime statistics for 2002 as a matter of grave concern. If anything, it is an understatement.

Overall, the latest figures show an increase in recorded crime of 22%. But what is particularly disturbing is the huge rise in offences against children.

In a chilling sign of the times we live in, child pornography offences rose by almost 500% from 21 cases in 2001 to 124 in 2002. Doubtless, this reflects the success of Operation Amethyst, in which the gardaí netted perverts across the nation.