An Garda Síochána

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 April 2024

Wednesday, 10 April 2024

Questions (104)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

104. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of knives seized by gardaí in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [15553/24]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

We are all very conscious of the effect that knife crime can have on the quality of life for local communities. I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to supporting An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue.

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.

As the Deputy will be aware, an Expert Forum on Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) was established in 2020. The Forum is examining a broad range of issues with a focus on developing measures which will counteract the negative impact of ASB on community morale and quality of life. The forum has established four sub-groups to consider specific issues including one on knife crime. I intend to bring proposals to Government in relation to knife crime in the near future.

The attached table shows the number of knives seized by Garda Division. Information supplied is operational and subject to change and is as of 20 March 2024, the latest date for which figures are available.

The number of knives seized by gardaí in 2023 and to date in 2024

Region/Division	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	**2024
Dublin Region
D.M.R. Eastern	32	46	32	35	31	66	77	76	51	55	46	*
D.M.R. North Central	140	131	144	98	169	189	185	203	188	201	285	74
D.M.R. Northern	95	83	96	86	113	185	170	151	126	210	185	40
D.M.R. South Central	105	112	144	128	176	195	208	257	187	204	238	74
D.M.R. Southern	78	90	85	100	72	96	129	134	93	83	113	14
D.M.R. Western	148	113	119	100	120	169	194	184	167	159	152	32
Eastern Region (NEW)
Kildare Div	25	21	25	32	46	64	52	73	45	57	60	16
Laois/Offaly	33	26	29	35	49	71	47	59	71	86	51	*
Meath/Westmeath	43	57	61	47	67	72	98	92	60	72	89	21
Waterford/Kilkenny/Carlow	86	111	61	67	79	98	85	117	100	111	129	21
Wexford Div	19	24	45	30	37	36	48	43	35	68	46	*
Wicklow Div	58	33	64	31	24	29	24	41	24	37	27	*
North Western Region
Donegal	15	21	24	17	31	28	43	46	40	42	54	12
Galway Div	42	43	38	42	76	49	89	84	70	105	93	18
Louth/Cavan/Monaghan	62	90	67	74	80	117	163	140	106	211	135	22
Mayo/Roscommon/Longford	22	27	41	42	41	63	117	65	47	61	54	11
Sligo/Leitrim	27	43	27	21	43	42	38	51	28	19	30	*
Southern Region (NEW)
Clare/Tipperary	69	48	55	39	79	72	75	96	71	61	96	17
Cork City	90	68	65	66	97	101	121	172	118	129	99	28
Cork North	25	25	29	20	49	41	56	47	44	58	38	*
Cork West	25	17	10	*	13	26	16	15	35	19	14	*
Kerry	24	34	21	26	25	39	37	28	35	39	39	*
Limerick	79	81	79	67	102	86	74	86	94	76	113	32

* Count less than 10

** Data to 20th March 2024 .