Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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213. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to a number of knife attacks on transgender sex workers in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33233/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am, of course, aware of the attacks referred to by the Deputy and I condemn all forms of knife-related violence unreservedly.

I am advised that An Garda Síochána is addressing the issue of knife crime through education and engagement with community initiatives. At an operational level, An Garda Síochána pro-actively target public disorder and anti-social behaviour, including knife related crime through the strategic deployment of Garda resources, and areas identified as public order hot-spots by local Garda management are the subject of additional foot and mobile patrols. Community Gardaí, in particular in the DMR, have used focus groups to discuss issues surrounding knife crime and the dangers associated with same. An Garda Síochána tackle knife crime through a tiered approach, by way of a rigorous enforcement policy, education programme and awareness raising campaigns. District Detective Units also monitor vendors engaged in the sale of knives.

I am further advised that An Garda Síochána is currently developing a national anti-knife, awareness-raising, crime-prevention initiative, for delivery to coincide with the Winter-Time ‘Operation Thor’ initiatives and Halloween which is traditionally a high knife crime period. In addition, Detective Units and Divisional Crime Task Forces may be utilised to provide a high visibility presence in areas such as late night bars, clubs etc, particularly when people are exiting, to deter and detect anti-social behaviour and possible altercations.

I would like to assure the Deputy that there are mechanisms in place to deal with hate motivated crime. Where a criminal offence such as assault is committed against a person based on their race, religion, colour, ethnicity, gender or some other ground, the offence is prosecuted through the wider criminal law. It is also accepted that such an offence is more serious on account of the hate or prejudice motivating the crime and Irish courts do consider evidence of a crime being motivated by hate or prejudice as an aggravating factor at sentencing.

More broadly, my Department is aware of the discrimination that transgender and intersex people face in society and in employment as has published proposals for amendments to the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 206 to make explicit a prohibition of such discrimination in employment and in the provision of goods and services. My Department will also commence work later this year on the development of an LGBTI Inclusion Strategy which will address issues relevant to LBGTI people generally, including transgender and intersex people.