Fine Gael has said that the number of serious assaults in Dublin has almost trebled in the period from 2000 to 2004 and that crime detection rates have fallen sharply.
The party's deputy leader, Richard Bruton described the figures, which were obtained by the party in a parliamentary question earlier this month, as ‘disturbing’.
The statistics are based on figures already in the public domain for some time but re-configured in a way not normally classified in the annual garda crime report.
As such they contradict Government assertions also based on the same garda figures that serious crime is falling.
Fine Gael's figures show that headline offences overall have increased by 23% in the period 2000 to 2004.
They also show that the number of serious assaults has increased from 12 to 33 over the same period and that the garda's ability to solve crime has gotten worse.
Fine Gael says detection rates have fallen sharply, down 7% to 32%.
However in the Dáil this morning the Taoiseach defended the garda's record.
Mr Ahern said they were doing a good job particularly in areas of Dublin where they have had to deal with anti social behaviour.
He rejected an assertion by the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, that as regards crime the Government was a Government of zero performance, not zero tolerance.
