19 people in the West hospitalised from stabbings last year

Galway Bay fm newsroom:

178 people were hospitalised after being stabbed last year - including 19 in western hospitals.

According to freedom of information figures, there was a 26 per cent increase in the number of inpatient admissions from stabbings in Saolta hospitals in 2019 - which include University Hospital Galway, Merlin Park and Portiuncla Hospital in Ballinasloe.

Meanwhile, the national figure is up 9 per cent on 2018, when 164 people had inpatient admissions after being assaulted with a knife.

The majority of the patients last year were young men, and 13 were children.