Investigations launched into three separate stabbings in Dublin

Gardaí in Dublin are investigating three separate knife attacks which occurred in the capital on Saturday.

The incidents, which are not believed to be connected, took place in the south city centre and in two areas of Dublin 15.

At about 5.30pm on Saturday, a fight broke out between two groups of young people on Grafton Street near St Stephen's Green. During the incident a male aged in his late teens received what appeared to be stab wounds.

The teenager was taken to St James’s Hospital where he is currently receiving treatment. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Gardaí said no arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.

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Gardaí are also investigating a handful of other violent incidents of a more minor nature, which took place around the city centre on Friday and Saturday.

However the scenes of widespread street violence seen in previous weekends were not repeated, despite the presence of large numbers of revellers in the city centre, Garda sources said.

Separately, gardaí in Blanchardstown are investigating a stabbing which occurred at about 5pm on Saturday.

A man aged in his thirties was taken to hospital by ambulance where he received treatment for knife wounds following the attack in Fortlawn Drive, Dublin 15.

“Investigations are ongoing,” a Garda spokeswoman said.

Half an hour earlier in the Parslickstown Drive area of Dublin 15, gardaí received reports of another stabbing. A man aged in his 40s was taken to hospital by ambulance with suspected stab wounds.

Separate investigations into the three attacks are ongoing and no arrests have been made to date.

'Knife amnesty'

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond said the capital has once again “seen the vicious spectre of knife crime darken our city’s streets”, as he called for the Government to accelerate efforts to deal with the issue. This includes the introduction of a “knife amnesty”.

“It is vital now that the Minister [for Justice] accelerates the plans to follow the Scottish approach to tackling knife crime, investing in early intervention at a community level through education and preventative methods.

“The case for a knife amnesty, which has proven successful before, also grows and I’ll be asking the Minister to work with the gardaí to implement this.

“Our brave gardaí also need to be given the resources to increase patrols through our capital city especially given more people are outdoors in the summer months.”

The Dublin Rathdown TD said some people will call for tougher sentences for knife crimes. “These may be justified but often by the time it gets to that stage it is too late.

“Rather we must work to make sure knives are kept out of peoples’ hands and off our streets.”