A Clare Oireachtas member fears “serious” violence will soon be visited upon a politician in Ireland amid a surge in harassment of public representatives.
A growing numbers of TDs and senators have given accounts of abuse and threats from the public in recent weeks, leading to calls for increased security around politicians.
Simon Harris, Roderick O’Gorman, Paul Murphy and Holly Cairns are just a handful of the TDs who’ve been subject to intimidation and threats in recent weeks.
In January of this year, Social Democrats leader Deputy Cairns was forced to close her Bandon constituency office due to security concerns after previously admitting to being left “absolutely terrified” when an online stalker began appearing at her home.
Just this week meanwhile, a man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of stalking Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers – an incident Gardaí have described as “sinister and disturbing”.
A video has emerged in recent days of Ennis Independent local election candidate Amanda Major in which the woman taking the video can be heard making race-related comments.
Major says the difference between her and those who target abuse at local representatives is that she has ambitions to effect change.
Ennistymon Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway has admitted to being a victim of harassment on five separate occasions in the last six weeks and has proposed that politicians be equipped with personal panic buttons for their own safety.
In 2016 in the UK, Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death while in 2021, Conservative MP Sir David Amess was stabbed to death – both assassinations having taken place before constituency clinics.
Due to the recent rise in aggression against politicians both online and in-person, Senator Conway believes it’s only a matter of time before an Irish politician meets a similar fate.
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