Proactive strategy needed to prevent knife-carrying culture – SF's Carthy

The Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Matt Carthy, has called for an urgent and proactive strategy to prevent a culture of knife carrying from taking hold in Ireland.

The Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson said the approach must combine stronger investment in crime prevention and youth intervention programmes with a robust policing response to knife crime.

Deputy Carthy warned that recent incidents highlighted the need for immediate action and stressed the importance of learning from international experiences where knife-carrying cultures became entrenched.

Deputy Carthy said: “In recent weeks we have seen deadly consequences of knife crime. It is clear that we now must work together to deliver an urgent and proactive strategy to prevent a culture of knife carrying from taking hold. We have seen internationally how states that fail to address this issue head-on face inter-generational implications.

“Across the board there needs to be a greater focus on crime prevention as well as action to reduce the rates of re-offending which are unacceptably high. Key to that is intervention to prevent young people from becoming involved in criminality and anti-social behaviour," the Cavan-Monaghan TD said.

“A culture of carrying knives cannot be allowed to take hold. Along with targeted policing, early intervention with young people most at risk of getting drawn into such a culture is crucial and has been found to be effective elsewhere.

“But there also needs to be a robust policing response to knife carrying and knife crime. Statistical analysis of knife crimes must guide this response.

“Tackling knife carrying must be prioritised now. It requires the Justice Minister to prioritise the issue but it also requires Government working with all parties and stakeholders to develop the urgent and proactive strategy to address this issue – before it’s too late.”

Carthy said prevention efforts should focus on schools, youth outreach, mentoring, family support and tackling the root causes of crime, including poverty, trauma and social exclusion. He also called for increased investment in youth diversion services and more community Gardaí to strengthen crime prevention and community engagement.

He added that high-visibility policing and effective enforcement are essential to reducing knife crime and preventing further serious injuries and deaths.