THERE HAVE BEEN calls for greater resources for gardaí this summer and a focus on knife crime following three stabbing incidents over the weekend.

A man was taken to hospital after sustaining an injury during an altercation between two groups near St Stephen’s Green in Dublin’s city centre yesterday evening.

In two separate incidents in west Dublin, a man in his 40s and a man in his 30s were injured.

The first assault was in Parslickstown Drive, Dublin 15 at 4.30pm, the second was at Fortlawn Drive in Dublin 15 at 5pm.

Both men were taken to hospital with suspected knife injuries.

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond today said the case for a knife amnesty grows and he will be asking the Minister for Justice to work with gardaí to implement this.

He said plans to follow the Scottish model to tackle knife crime in Ireland “must be accelerated”.

“Once again our capital has seen the vicious spectre of knife crime darken our city’s streets,” Richmond said. “Three individuals are currently being treated in hospital following three separate incidents in a short 24 hour period.

“I know that detailed work is underway in the Department of Justice on how we can learn lessons from other jurisdictions.

“It is vital now the minister 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 Dublin TD also said gardaí need to be given resources to increase patrols through the city with increased numbers outdoors this summer.

“Some will call for tougher or mandatory sentences for knife crimes and these may be justified but often by the time it gets to that stage it is too late,” he said.

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