We must be 'absolutely intolerant of people carrying knives in public', says Taoiseach

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that recent attacks had raised questions about bail laws

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: 'There is a wider societal piece we must focus on in respect of all the factors which give rise to the level of violence we are experiencing and of which individuals are getting involved in.' File picture: Brian Lawless/PA

The Taoiseach has said that there must be no tolerance of the "growing phenomenon" of people carrying knives in public.

In the Dáil on Tuesday, Micheál Martin expressed his condolences to the family of a man stabbed to death in Dublin city over the weekend. 

Quam Babatunde, aged 34, was found unresponsive with serious injuries by gardaí after emergency services were called to South Anne Street/Duke Lane Upper shortly after 3am on Saturday. Mr Babatunde was from Nigeria and was in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the stabbing, with one appearing in court on Tuesday. Mr Martin said that the level of violence seen on the streets of the capital had to be condemned.

"One has to condemn the level of violence involved. We must be very clear and absolutely intolerant of people carrying knives in their possession if they go out on a night's recreation. This is a growing phenomenon. It is reprehensible and is putting the lives of people in danger. 

"There is a wider societal piece we must focus on in respect of all the factors which give rise to the level of violence we are experiencing and of which individuals are getting involved in."

The Taoiseach would later tell Social Democrats' TD Gary Gannon that there should be recognition that "excess alcohol and drug use" was a "factor in violence on our streets" and was "a factor in some instances in the level of unrestricted violence that people visit upon each other".

Bail laws

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that both last weekend's attack and one the weekend before in Stoneybatter in Dublin had raised questions about bail laws.

"The man arrested for the attacks in Stoneybatter was facing charges in relation to a drug seizure, while two of the men arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing on Saturday have been on bail for other serious offences.

"This is not the first time this issue has arisen. People are now asking why it is that so many serious crimes are being committed by people who have been released on bail. They are asking whether our bail laws are adequate and properly enforced."

Mr Martin said that if there is scope to tighten those laws, the Government will.

Meanwhile, Minister for Equality Hildegarde Naughton moved to assure the public that there is an adequate vetting system in place for those entering the country.

"Everybody is vetted. Everybody, as they arrive, they are fingerprinted," she said.

There is a whole series of systems in place and the priority is to ensure, and it is certainly a priority of this Government, to ensure that the system moves as quickly as possible.

Children's Minister Norma Foley said the Government is putting all its resources into achieving "speedy finalisation" of all applications but noted the numbers of people seeking asylum today is higher than this time last year and the year before that.

"Anyone is entitled, at any point, to seek asylum but the most important thing is that we have systems in place that will ensure that if it is verifiable and if it is justified that they will be in place and that they will remain in place and if it is not, they will leave the system," said Ms Foley.