There has been a significant decline in the incidence of violent crime.
According to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office, the murder rate has dropped by more than a third over the last year and by two thirds over the last three months.
Manslaughter and dangerous driving causing death are also down.
However organised crime remains a serious threat. Drugs, bomb and gun crime continues to rise.
Drug offences are up by more than a quarter, explosive and firearms offences have increased by over 15% in the last three months and robberies, hijacking and extortion are up 19%.
Today's figures show a dramatic drop in the murder rate - 15 murders in the last three months compared to 44 in the same period last year. Murder is down 39% in the last 12 months, 66% in the quarter.
Sexual offences including rape are down nearly 14% in the last three months and there have also been a reduction in public order offences.
However there were more than 5,600 recorded drugs offences in the last three months - that is more than 60 a day, an increase of 15%. The majority of those are for possession and supply.
More guns and bombs are being used by criminals and seized by gardaí - a 10% increase in the past three months, while robbery, extortion and hijacking offences increased by almost a fifth.
