Lenihan to probe law on samurai sword sales
Mr Lenihan dismissed claims from opposition parties that a simple change to the law was all that was required and said it would be “easy” to rush through emergency legislation without establishing the facts first.
The announcement follows last Sunday’s horror attack in a Dublin pub in which 27-year-old Peter Rogers has his hand completely severed by an attacker wielding a samurai sword.
“Let’s establish the facts first. It’s very easy in the wake of an incident to call for immediate legislation,” said Mr Lenihan.
“I think we need to know who does use them in lawful circumstances, how many of them there are, whether a licensing regime could be tighter. I’ve asked the commissioner to examine this question and to see what the facts are.”
He said there were some people who used samurai swords for sporting purposes and said there was strict legislation governing their use or possession.
“We’ve a very strong law in place and I would like the public to understand that, if you have a samurai sword in your possession and you don’t have a good explanation for it, you commit an offence, that’s a strong law.
“If there is some way we can strengthen it or if there is a difficulty on the ground or if there is a need for a licensing regime of course we’ll look at that,” he said.
The review will examine to what extent the law regarding the sale of the weapon needs to be tightened up. As it stands stores, such as martial arts shops, can sell a samurai sword to anyone.
Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said: “That’s a matter I’m going to look at, to inform the minister about what we are seeing from an operational perspective. The minister naturally enough will be dealing with the legislation side of it.”
He said he could not comment on the pub attack in Finglas as someone was before the courts.
“But just to say that knives are a big issue and, as the minister says, I will be closely looking at the legislation to assist the minister, but in the meantime I will be enforcing the law. As the minister said, there is very strong legislation there. As well as that, we have prioritised knives as an issue in our policing plan and we intend to develop an awareness campaign during the year,” said Mr Murphy.
“This is a societal issue, if nothing else. I’m concerned, as the minister is, in relation to the increase in violent attacks. While the figures haven’t been published yet, in relation to homicides there has been an increase in homicides carried out with sharp instruments and that is a matter of concern to me.”
The minister and the commissioner were speaking at the launch of a Garda surveillance helicopter at Garda headquarters in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
Meanwhile, Mr Lenihan said a review into whether surveillance information on criminals could be used in courts would be finished by the early summer.
