Irish Examiner view: Blunting the threat of knives

In London, where knife crime is a synonym for teenage street gang activity, hospitals have taken to hiring security guards to prevent rivals following their victims into the wards to finish them off.  File picture

With knife seizures by gardaí growing at an alarming rate, it is more than time to recognise the severity of inherent dangers and take a range of necessary actions.

The number of knives being carried in public is rising exponentially despite the maximum penalty for possession increasing from one to five years.