Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on amending the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, and Offensive Weapons Order, 1991 to provide for the banning of samurai sword type weapons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8972/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the House is aware, the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, prohibits possession in a public place of knives or any other articles which have a blade or are sharply pointed or any article made or adapted to cause injury. Any person found guilty of such an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or both. Possession in a public place of any article intended to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate a person is also an offence and carries a sentence on indictment of a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or both. The same penalties also apply where a person in the course of a dispute or fight produces any article capable of inflicting serious injury.

As I indicated recently, at my request, the Garda Commissioner undertook to review the current legislation pertaining to offensive weapons. I understand that this review will be finished shortly and I will fully consider any proposals it may contain.