The latest crime figures show a continuing drop in the rate of reported crime, with a 14 per cent decrease in the 12 months to the end of March.
Announcing the figures, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, said they showed "our crime policy is working extremely well."
The number of crimes reported in the year to the end of last month was 86,734, compared with 100,273 for the same period in the previous year.
Mr O'Donoghue said the figures reflected a "spectacular performance" by the gardai. In 17 Garda divisions reported crime had fallen by up to 25 per cent.
He said the drop was "indicative of the very successful partnership approach operating between myself and the Garda Commissioner."
Earlier figures reported for the calendar years 1996 and 1997 showed that crime had fallen by 10 per cent. A 21 per cent drop was recorded in the January figures for 1998, compared with the same month in 1997.
Yesterday's figures to the end of March showed there were 38 per cent fewer aggravated burglaries, 40 per cent fewer aggravated burglaries using firearms, 37 per cent fewer robberies and 35 per cent fewer armed robberies.
In Cork and Limerick cities, reported crime fell by 9 per cent in each.
However, reported rapes increased by 30 per cent from 232 in 1996/97 to 302 the following year. Mr O'Donoghue said he would await the report of the Garda Research Unit, ordered by the Garda Commissioner when the increase was first highlighted.
He said the rise could be due to an increase in the proportion of rapes being reported rather than the number of attacks, but it would be necessary to see the research before this could be established.
Larcenies from vehicles had fallen by 25 per cent, Mr O'Donoghue said, larcenies from people by 17 per cent and from shops by 10 per cent. Those thefts classified as "all other larcenies" had also fallen by 9 per cent.
There was a 3 per cent increase in the murder rate between the two years, with 38 murders in 1996/97 and 39 in the last year. Reports of "false imprisonment" had almost doubled from 16 in 1996/97 to 30 last year.
Mr O'Donoghue said the figures were extremely encouraging and resulted from "a combination of effective legislation and policing, with increased resources and operational excellence on the part of the force."
Asked about the ongoing controversy over Garda pay, Mr O'Donoghue said he believed the last offer of 7 per cent was reasonable. A higher offer could "set off a whole round of claims."
"There is only one place this can be resolved and that's around the negotiating table, not on the steps of the Dail or Buswell's Hotel in Dublin."
