Aggressive haranguing of politicians outside Leinster House must be rooted out, a Waterford TD has warned.
Waterford Green Party TD Marc O Cathasaigh expressed concern for the safety of colleagues in the Dail and Seanad after a series of incidents outside the front entrance of the Oireachtas.
Mr O Cathasaigh said Ireland should not consider itself “immune” from the sort of scenarios witnessed in the UK where MPs have been murdered.
The TD said the situation outside Leinster House on Tuesday was “particularly pronounced”.
“I think it was because Ryan Tubridy was in town,” he told RTÉ Morning Ireland.
“There was a lot of people who were outside of the gate for the entire day. A lot of them are aggressive. When I went out through the gates, I was addressed as one of Rodrick’s crew referring to Minister O’Gorman, so I was clearly identified as a Green and I was clearly identified as the Minister of Children’s colleague.”
Mr O Cathasaigh said he saw journalist and broadcaster Sean O’Rourke “being followed up the street”.
Online videos
“I saw a video online of (Social Democrats leader) Holly Cairns been followed quite a long way up Kildare Street with a mobile phone stuck in her face and being lectured at,” he added.
“I know Pauline O’Reilly my own colleague in the Green Party has experienced this as well.
“It’s certainly something that is playing more and more on people’s minds. And we are not immune to the same set of scenarios that resulted in [the murder of] Joe Cox in the UK. We take it very seriously.
“Most of us are getting advice around security in our constituency offices and in our own homes. I worry about the impact on my staff.
“Many times, the office, I won’t be there, I’ll be out in constituency work, I’ll be in Dublin and my office is staffed by people who should not have to do anything like this in terms of worrying about their personal security.
“So certainly, it was more pronounced on Tuesday. It throws it into sharp focus.
“It’s something we need to address, that we need to root out because we have to have politicians who feel like they can interact safely with their constituents.”
By David Young, PA
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