The number of murders, attempted murders and drug related crimes has increased substantially, according to the quarterly Headline Crime Statistics survey from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The statistics show a significant increase in so-called 'gang' related crime.
There were 21 people murdered between July and September 2007 an increase of 7 (+ 50 per cent) on 2006. Murder attempts and threats also increased significantly from 19 in the third quarter of 2006 to 51 during the same period in 2007.
The total number of homicide-related offences rose from 38 in 2006 to 73 in quarter 3, 2007, an increase of just over 92 per cent.
The number of offences for possession of drugs for sale or supply increased by 13.7 on the same period in 2006.
According to Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan, the concern does not only centre around gang crime.
"The position is that the increase in murders has not taken place in relation to the gangland killings, it has taken place in relation to other types of killing, in respect of which the gardai have been very successful in getting leads and establishing complicity," he said on Today FM this evening.
Offences for arson and fraud also showed an increase on 2006 with incidents of arson increasing by 5.9 per cent while fraud increased by 25.1 per cent.
The largest increase in headline crime was under the category of abandoning a child, child neglect and cruelty which rose by 159.4 per cent on the same period in 2006.
There were 166 incidents in this category in the last three months compared to just 64 in the third quarter of 2006.
However, figures were down in the categories of sexual offences, assaults, burglaries and robberies.
Incidents of sexual offences are down 5.2 per cent while robberies and burglaries show small decreases of 2 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively on the same period last year.
The figures for overall assaults was down 9.3 per cent on 2006.
The number of thefts of pedal cycles was down 22.1 per cent.
Overall, the total headline offences in the third quarter increased from 25,930 in 2006 to 26,657 in 2007 or 2.8 per cent.
Despite the damning statistics Mr Lenihan claimed this evening that 'draconian' measures are not yet called for and time should be given for the full implementation of the criminal justice act which was enacted last Spring.