THE KILLING of a 22-year-old man in Co Kilkenny yesterday brought to four the number of people who have died following stabbing attacks in the Republic over the Christmas period.
A fifth man was seriously injured after being stabbed in Dublin city centre yesterday afternoon.
In response to the attacks, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has said he will bring forward new legislation to outlaw some weapons and upgrade some knife crimes.
Michael "Blunt" Brennan from Church Avenue, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, died after being stabbed at his uncle's house in the town at about 3.30am yesterday.
An 18-year-old woman was arrested in connection with the death.
Stephen Quigley (24), originally from Kilkerley, Dundalk, Co Louth, was found dead in a laneway off Avenue Road in Dundalk just before midnight last Saturday. He had been stabbed repeatedly in the neck and heart.
Also on the same date, Ali Ibraham Lal, a 17-year-old Somali national, was stabbed to death at a refugee centre in Limerick, the Sarsfield Inn Hostel on Sarsfield Street.
Farah Redouane (21), a Moroccan national with an address at the same centre, was charged with his murder.
On Christmas Day, a 29-year-old man from Lithuania died from multiple stab wounds at Summerhill in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. He has not yet been named. Egidijus Kiaulakis (28), also from Lithuania and with an address in Nenagh, was charged with his murder.
In Dublin yesterday, a 25- year-old man believed to be from Blanchardstown in west Dublin was attacked on George's Quay near Tara Street train station shortly after midday. He was taken to St James's Hospital and is currently in a serious but stable condition.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Ahern, said he intended to bring forward proposals as soon as possible in the Criminal Law Miscellaneous Provisions Bill to further strengthen legislation in relation to knife crime.
"Specifically, I am developing proposals to increase search powers and outlaw items such as Samurai swords," Mr Ahern said.
He said he also intended to provide that less serious offences involving knives, such as possession, which can only be dealt with summarily at present, can also be dealt with on indictment - thereby incurring heavier penalties.
Fine Gael spokesman on justice Charlie Flanagan said the use of knives has become a badge of honour among some young men. "The law needs to take a stronger line on carrying knives without justification," he said.
In a Private Members Bill presented to the Dáil last month, Mr Flanagan proposed a sentence of up to seven years in prison for carrying a knife in public without lawful reason.
He has also called on the Government and Garda to introduce a "crackdown" on knives and offensive weapons particularly in known crime hotspots. He said samurai swords were available in Dublin over the counter for as little as €70.
In Belfast, three men were also stabbed during an attack yesterday. They were taken to hospital after a confrontation in a bar at Cupar Street Lower, off the Falls Road in west Belfast.
Teenage girl is questioned over fatal stabbing of man at party: page 4