Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

As Deputy Rabbitte said, it is clearly a cultural and societal issue.

Perhaps I too am being partisan in saying I am not overly impressed with the Fine Gael proposal that the solution is to demand a comprehensive review of the availability of knives and offensive weapons and to look to a Garda campaign to tackle the proliferation of same throughout the State. With respect, there is something bankrupt about this as a policy. It conjures up notions of gardaí sifting through cutlery drawers, dishwashers and tool boxes to find offensive weapons. I take Fine Gael's point that this is not the intention but in terms of putting forward a solution, which we are all required to do——

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