Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I want to compliment Deputy O'Callaghan. Any time I have approached him on any issue, but particularly on this issue, he has always had a listening ear. It is long past time this issue was addressed. I have spoken about the need for mandatory sentencing for those convicted of causing incapacity, or injuring or intimidating, with the use of a knife, who should face the full rigour of the law. I welcome this Bill and the clauses to increase the fines and sentences imposed for offences committed.

I have always said the punishment must fit the crime. We have heard here this afternoon from my colleagues about the current figures for crime, in particular knife crime, across the country. Outside of the capital, Louth ranks as above average in crime rates, and this is not just attributable to what is going on in the drug feud in Drogheda. On 12 August 2019, we witnessed the barbaric stabbing in Blackrock of Donie Lynch, a 93 year old, innocent man going about his business, who was badly injured and had to spend a long time in hospital in recovery. His wife was also present and was terrorised. Donie is a good friend of mine. It is awful to reach the old age of 93 and to be attacked in such a vicious way. Perpetrators of such crimes have absolutely no conscience and need further deterrence. When I see incidences like this in my own locality, I believe stronger sentences should be mandatory where conviction occurs.

This is not an isolated case, and other Deputies have spoken about the situation in their constituencies. On 30 August 2019, a man in Oakland Park, Dundalk, was stabbed in the back. On 26 August 2019, a man was arrested in Ashbrook Park, Dundalk, with a knife found in his possession. On 18 September 2018, a young woman in Dundalk died following a stabbing incident. On 4 January 2018, Yosuke Sasaki, a young Japanese man working in Dundalk, was stabbed to death on Avenue Road, Dundalk. It is a small town but this is comparable with what is going on in Dublin in terms of its population. Only last week, there was a vicious attack on a garda in Dundalk, where his face was slashed not with a knife but with a garden trowel which, equally, is an offensive weapon when used for the wrong reasons. These crimes are causing serious concern to my constituents and they all happened within a few kilometres of where I live. All of this is coupled with the ongoing feud in Drogheda, which has seen 76 incidents. People in my constituency want to see greater punishment for these criminal offences.

The purpose of the Bill is to deter people from carrying knives by increasing the maximum sentence for knife crime, and I welcome that. It is a no-brainer, and I hope it will deter when implemented. There is a knife crime epidemic, as can be seen from what I have outlined in respect of my locality, which is a microcosm of what is happening elsewhere. These deterrents need to be strengthened.

I will outline what the granddaughter of Donie Lynch stated after her granda was stabbed:

The person who did this has robbed my grandparents of security, peace of mind and quality of life. It takes decades to get over something like this, but at their age, they don't have long. How desperately sad this is after having such a wonderful long life together to be forced to live in fear, think twice before opening the door, worry and feel anxiety [that they do not need] in their final years.

She concluded by saying, "I really really really hope the judiciary take this very human aspect into consideration when making any decision in knife offence crimes that come before them."

I am glad to hear that the Government will not oppose the Bill and that we can send out a united message from the House condemning knife crime, ensuring that our voices are in unison and that the offenders will face the full rigours of the law. I welcome the introduction of an amnesty not just for knives but for all offensive weapons. People should be given an opportunity to hand in such weapons.

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