Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I call on the Lord Mayor of Dublin, I will reflect on the events at the weekend where there was a protest at a Minister's house. That is not protest. It is intimidation. That is what it is designed for. It is what it is meant to do. It is meant to intimidate not only, in this case, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, but it has happened previously, including to some people in this room. Democracies are dying because they allow people a platform to attack them. Democracy needs to defend itself. While it is perfectly legitimate and important that people can participate in public protest, it is beyond time for the Department of Justice and the Minister at that Department to bring in legislation to prevent and make it unlawful to protest outside the private residences of elected representatives, officials and people who work on behalf of the State. How that can be done in a way that does not undermine democracy is important, but by allowing intimidation, we are allowing the undermining of democracy itself. We cannot allow that to continue. That is one of the things that has come out of previous discussions. It is important that we do not allow business as usual by saying it is a form of democratic protest. It is not democratic protest when people are wearing balaclavas outside the private residence of someone who is giving service to the State. Rather, it is designed to deter people from running for public office, and it will have that effect. That undermines democracy and we cannot allow it to continue.

I call on my good friend and colleague, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr. Daithí de Róiste.