Headline crime increased by 1.4 per last year over 2005 figures, and the detection rate increased by 5 per cent over the same period, according to Garda figures.
According to the Garda Síochána annual report (2006), there were 103,710 headline crimes recorded in 2006. The annual detection rate was 40 per cent for 2006 compared with the 35 per cent recorded for 2005.
Last year there were 60 murders in the State compared to 52 the previous year. Manslaughters were down from 10 to 6 in the same period.
Overall rape figures are reported to be down on 2005 figures, although there was an increase of aggravated sexual assault from seven in 2005 to 18 in 2006.
Figures for the possession of firearms and the discharging of firearms also saw a drop.
Possession of drugs for sale or supply increased from 2,667 in 2005 to 3,016 last year. Cannabis was involved in 51 per cent of the cases, with over 7,000 kilos seized in 2006. Over 190 kilos of cocaine was seized over the same period.
The report said the most significant increase in crime detection rates was recorded for homicide offences, where 62 per cent were detected in 2005 and 78 per cent were detected in 2006.
Headline assault offences recorded a detection rate increase from 63 per cent in 2005 to 71 per cent in 2006.