Sale of samurai swords to be prohibited

Sales of samurai swords are to be banned and the maximum prison term for possessing a knife in a public place increased from one to five years under new measures to be included in the forthcoming Criminal Justice Bill.

Under the Bill, gardaí will also see their powers of search without a warrant increase should they have reasonable grounds to suspect a person is carrying any article for unlawful purposes.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern announced the measures today at the launch of a knife crime awareness campaign as part of the Garda Policing Plan for 2009.

Mr Ahern said he made the amendments following recommendations from the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy.

“Though legislation on the use of knives and similar weapons is already very strong and heavy penalties are already in place, we are moving to further strengthen the law in this area,” Mr Ahern said.

“In that context, we sought and received proposals from the Garda Commissioner to assist his force in tackling knife-crime.”

The number of murders involving knives fell from 37 to 15 last year, however, the Commissioner said there is evidence of increased knife carrying especially in the context of assault.

“We have been fortunate not to experience sustained high levels of knife deaths such as those witnessed in other countries, there has nonetheless been a series of high profile incidents which give rise to concern," he said.

“We want to intervene early with young people and bring home to them the dangers of deciding to carry a knife, not least of which is the risk that it will be used on themselves. Carrying a knife greatly increases your chances of being seriously injured or killed in a fight.”

The How Big Do You Feel? campaign is aimed primarily at young people and will include roadshows and schools meetings as well as a presence on social networking websites like Bebo and Facebook encouraging young people to engage with gardaí.

The Criminal Justice Bill is expected to be brought before the Dáil in the current session.