A Mullingar-based detective says the government needs to get young people talking.
A nationwide campaign educating young people on knife crime is needed.
Retired detective inspector Pat Marry says the first step in finding a solution to the problem is for the government to get people talking.
In the last three years, 113 people were hospitalised due to being stabbed in the Dublin-Midlands region.
Westmeath's Pat Marry says there's a number of reasons why young people are carrying knives:
The number of people hospitalised due to stabbings increased by 9 per cent last year.
164 people had inpatient admissions after being assaulted with a knife in 2018 - rising to 178 last year.
According to freedom of information figures, 100 patients were aged between 18 and 35, and 13 were children.
Retired Detective Inspector based in Mullingar, Patrick Marry says knife crime's a huge problem in Ireland:
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