The Taoiseach expressed disappointment at the increase in serious crime, as the Opposition accused the Government of failing to live up to election promises.

Mr Ahern conceded that the increase, announced on Tuesday, was "both worrying and disappointing," adding that the number of headline offences last year was up on the previous year.

"The initial numbers of gardaí recruited in recent years are now fully in place. Some 11,800 is the current figure. A range of legislative measures has been introduced, including a number of specialist units to deal with various levels of criminality and public disorder." The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, noted the Coalition's programme for government declared that it stood for a society where all people could feel safe in their communities, businesses and homes.

"The publication of statistics relevant to crime in this country are a shocking indictment of the society we have become and the inability of the Government to cope with the situation." He added that the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, speaking earlier on radio, seemed "to be more like a parent in despair than a Minister for Justice." He claimed that the word of the Government could not be believed. "Murders are up by 33 per cent; sexual offences by 81 per cent; assaults by 83 per cent; drug offences by 33 per cent; armed robberies by 14 per cent; burglaries by 9 per cent; larceny by 11,454 cases." Mr Ahern said that an enormous amount of money had been put into the prison capital programme over the past five years and it had been completed, including the work at Cloverhill and Mountjoy prisons and women's and Portlaoise prisons. That had continued.

Shanganagh was opened in 1969 as an open detention centre for males between 16 and 21 years old. While he recognised the good work of the staff over the years, it had become increasingly difficult to identify young male offenders suitable for this type of open prison, he added. Mr Ahern said the annual cost of keeping an offender at Shanganagh last year was €127,000, which was higher than the annual cost anywhere else. The proceeds of the sale of the prison would go back into the prison system for other renewals.

The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, asked Mr Ahern if he had forgotten the background of zero tolerance which brought him into office in 1997. "Has the Taoiseach forgotten the statement by the former Minister for Justice, Deputy John O'Donoghue, when he came into office, to the effect that he would be judged at the end of his term by whether or not people felt safer on the streets and in their homes." Mr Rabbitte accused Mr McDowell of "rebranding the Progressive Democrats and acting as an estate agent for Shanganagh. "The former Minister thinks he can share in the risibility with the new Minister. The former Minister is a disgrace. He completely neglected his portfolio."