Cork officials move to create a national ban of samurai swords

THE Government is to be asked to introduce a national ban on the sale of samurai swords after a single city ban was ruled unworkable.

Cork’s city officials were asked on Monday night to draft and introduce a bylaw banning the import, sale or hire of any sword with a curved blade of 50 centimetres or more in length in the interests of public safety.

Former lord mayor, Cllr Joe O’Callaghan (Fine Gael), tabled the motion following a vicious sword attack on a man last month.

The 24-year-old Polish national was assaulted by two men armed with samurai swords outside a house at Maiville Terrace in Turner’s Cross. He received several stitches at the South Infirmary Hospital for gaping head wounds.

Samurai swords have been used in at least five incidents in Cork since December.

Elsewhere, a 27-year-old man from Ballymun in Dublin had to undergo surgery to reattach one of his hands which was severed in a sword attack last January In December two gardaí were chased by a man wielding a samurai sword at an apartment complex in Dublin city centre.

In another incident last December, a 24-year-old man threatened firefighters with a samurai sword in Dundalk. The firefighters had to turn a water hose on the man after he approached them wielding the weapon.

Mr O’Callaghan said he is very concerned about how easily the potentially lethal weapons can be bought in shops around Cork city. They can be bought in at least two shops from about €100. They can be bought online for less that €50.

Mr O’Callaghan said the authorities should move to ban their sale. Fianna Fáil’s Terry Shannon said such a ban should be extended to include replica firearms.

However, city manager Joe Gavin said a ban in Cork alone would be unworkable and he said the issue should be dealt with nationally.

Mr O’Callaghan agreed his motion be forwarded to the Government and to city’s joint policing forum.

Fine Gael has proposed a change to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act of 1990, to include a ban on their sale, possession or importation. However, there is an acceptance of a case for exemptions for genuine collectors.