Martin: We have to assert our right to walk freely to our parliament

TÁNAISTE Micheál Martin has said that vitriol towards politicians is “getting more dangerous”, following a mock gallows protest that has been criticised as a threat to democracy.

Thirteen people have been charged by gardaí after the demonstrations, which saw entrances to Leinster House blocked and included a mock gallows featuring ministers and opposition TDs.

The protests have been criticised across the political spectrum and calls have been made to review security measures around the site of the Oireachtas on Kildare St, in Dublin city centre.

Elected representatives have also warned of the threat of a “Jo Cox” moment, referring to the UK MP murdered in 2016.

Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Martin said the behaviour of some people was “fascist-like”: “I think some of these people are trying to create an alternative reality in terms of the country, undermining our democracy, and some of it almost approximates to sort of fascist-like behaviour in terms of intolerance, in terms of not allowing people to go in and out of democratically-elected parliament; a very serious issue,” he said.

“When we reflect on some of the commentary in relation to the recently published hate [speech] bill, I think, looking at some of the signs [on Wednesday] evening, listening to some of the comments made, kind of defines what we mean by hate speech, by behaviour that incites hatred,” he said.

“[Things are] getting more dangerous.

“We saw what happened in the United Kingdom and the level and the vitriol and the nature of the presence of some people is a grave cause for concern, but we have to really reflect as to how best we deal with it.”

Cork senator Jerry Buttimer, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, said he could not get back into Leinster House due to protesters after attending the funeral of a former colleague on Wednesday.

Mr Buttimer said there should be a “sterile area” around the streets where members and staff of the Oireachtas can move in and out, but also allow for peaceful protest.

“My concern is [about] members of staff, those who work in the parliamentary community of Leinster House, and members,” he told RTÉ.

“Members [and] staff were prevented from doing their work and from carrying out their duties.

“We live in a republic and the ballot box is our answer to those people yesterday — you can give people a mandate or not.”

However, Mr Martin said Ireland’s familiar way of doing politics should be preserved, and suggested that a sterile zone would mean that the people involved in Wednesday’s protest “get their way”.

“Ireland has its own unique way of dealing with issues like this too… but there is no doubt when you read some of the vitriol and hate speech on social media there’s a new level to the debate and many TDs and senators feel very intimidated by what is happening,” he said at the National Ploughing Championships.

“But we equally have to assert our right to walk freely to our parliament.

“And so we need to be very clear that people who do these kinds of protests don’t get their way in terms of somehow creating a sort of a sterile zone and so on, because the people do value access to our public representatives.

“When you go to United Nations, you’re meeting with all sorts of ministers, and then you walk down New York and someone bumps into you and says: ‘I’m so and so from Killarney, you know my brother very well’.

“I mean, that’s the kind of intimacy that Irish politics, I think, is best at.

“We’re a small country, we should try to preserve that.”