Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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109. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the educational or awareness initiatives currently in place to inform young people of the consequences of knife crime for both victims and perpetrators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38037/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I strongly condemn the use of knives to threaten, intimidate or harm others. The Government is committed to ensuring that the problems that we have seen in neighbouring jurisdictions do not repeat themselves here.

Knives may be used in the commission of many different types of offence, ranging from threats and intimidation, robbery and aggravated burglary to serious assaults and murder. There are many complex, interlinked and variable causes for the use of knives in the commission of offences.

As a result, there are no quick-fix solutions to tackling knife crime. Long term, evidence-based strategies are needed that address knife crime as part of a wider strategic response to anti-social behaviour, street violence, youth offending and domestic violence.

Our Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 is a whole of government plan that takes a strategic approach to all issues connected to children and young people at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are community based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives which divert young people who have been, or are at risk of becoming, involved in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour.

The increase in funding in recent years for the Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) allows the development of tailored initiatives to tackle local issues, including carrying of knifes by young people.

The research literature shows that general information campaigns may be counterproductive: increasing awareness of knife-carrying in a community by young people may create feelings of insecurity and lead to an increase in the number of young people actually carrying knives.

Interventions should ensure practical supports, presence in schools and involvement of teachers, health care professionals and youth workers as well as provision of information, including on the legal position.

A particular example of such a holistic intervention has been developed in Moyross, Limerick. Described as Community Safety – Weapons Awareness, this programme addresses weapon-related violence by educating and raising awareness among youth, parents and professionals creating a co-designed, co-produced, replicable toolkit adaptable to any youth setting. This programme received €150,000 in funding from the Community Safety Fund in 2023.