Over 340 knives have been seized by Gardaí in Kerry since 2013.
The figures were provided by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, following a query by Social Democrats TD Catherine Martin.
The number of knives seized by members of An Garda Síochána in Kerry has continued to rise over the past four years.
39 knives were sized in this county by Gardaí in both 2023 and 2022.
That’s up from 35 the previous year in 2021.
In 2020, Gardaí in Kerry seized 28 knives, while the figure stood at 37 in 2019 and it was 39 in 2018.
In 2017, there were 25 knives seized by Gardaí in this county, a further 26 were seized in 2016, 21 in 2015, it was 34 in 2014 and the figure stood at 24 in 2013.
The figures provided cover up to the end of March this year and during that time less than ten knives were seized in the county; a specific number wasn’t given as it was under ten.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee says we are all very conscious of the effect that knife crime can have on the quality of life for local communities and she gave assurances that the Government is committed to supporting An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue.
She says there are many complex, interlinked and variable causes for the use of knives in the commission of offences and as a result there are no quick-fix solutions to tackling knife crime.
Minister McEntee says 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.
