In the past week, we have been reminded of the very worrying rise in knife crime across our capital city, following a number of high-profile incidents. What stage is the Government at with the new violence reduction strategy it promised? Will the Government consider a knife amnesty, which has worked before in this jurisdiction, when it was used in Limerick, and has been very successful in Scotland? Unlike some parties in the House, the Government parties do not walk away when it comes to matters of criminal justice in this State. I want to know what succour the Government can provide for the victims of knife crime and, more importantly, what protections it can provide to ensure this worrying rise in knife crime is stopped in its tracks.

I will have to come back to the Deputy on that question as I do not have an up-to-date note on it. I certainly share his concerns about increases in knife crime incidents in our cities and elsewhere in Ireland. It is a complex problem and it does not always respond to simple solutions.