Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1282. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps his Department is taking to address the issue of knife crime, and the rise of knife-related injuries presenting in emergency departments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58438/25]

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.

In 2021, my Department considered further action to tackle knife crime in our communities. Following consultation with An Garda Síochána, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Irish Prison Service, recommendations were made to strengthen legislative powers to tackle knife-crime.

Part 9 of the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024, which came into force in September 2024, increased the penalties for certain offences under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.

The maximum penalty for the offences of possession of a knife with the intention of unlawfully intimidating or injuring another person, trespassing with a knife, and producing a knife while committing or appearing to be about to commit an offence, increased from 5 years to 7 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the offence of manufacturing, importing, selling, hiring or lending offensive weapons increased from 7 years to 10 years.

In addition, the Government doubled the maximum penalty for ‘assault causing harm’ under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 from 5 to 10 years imprisonment. Many assaults involving knives, fall within this offence category and this increase ensures that courts have the necessary sentencing powers to reflect the severity and impact of such crimes.

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. My Department is progressing targeted interventions through youth diversion projects that work directly with young offenders across the country, and, at a wider community level, through the roll out of Local Community Safety Partnerships in all Local Authority areas.

I am also assured that Gardaí will continue with their proactive measures to tackle this issue, including their assault reduction strategy, which is targeted at tackling all types of assaults in public, including use of knives. This strategy is informed by a pro-arrest, early investigation, and proactive high-visibility approach.

An Garda Síochána’s analysis of Knife Related Crimes from 2015 –2025, which was published on 29 August 2025, will help inform our evidence-based policy in this area. This report was compiled using data from both An Garda Síochána's PULSE system and from the HSE Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) system on the number of discharges from hospitals nationwide following an assault by knife.

The report shows Assaults Causing Harm with a knife accounted for, on average, less than 7% of Assault Causing Harm incidents over the past 10 years. The findings also show a 40% reduction in robbery with a knife in retail spaces and a 35% reduction in robbery with a knife in public spaces since 2020. This downward trend is to be welcomed.

Information on that report is available from the Garda website at:

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/knife-related-crime-2015-to-2024.pdf