Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The cessation of mobile phone communications is provided for in this legislation, which I support. I outlined my reasons during the earlier debate. If it has to be done once or twice in a 24 hour period, is there scope for the mobile phone companies to refuse to do it? I certainly hope not. What will happen if they are asked to stop providing blanket coverage, but they do not do so properly? Will they be able to seek compensation? Almost every child over the age of ten has a mobile phone, unfortunately. There is huge interest in this powerful business and I use it as much as anyone. As a resident of south Tipperary, I recall President Reagan's visit to Ballyporeen in 1984. We all remember President Obama's visit to Moneygall, near the Tipperary-Offaly border, two years ago. We need proper powers to deal with such visits. The people concerned might be involved in wars and other conflicts that we might or might not support. The threat might not come from this country; it could come from abroad. This country would be laughed at if something major were to happen and we were unable to provide security for the visiting dignitaries. We expect the same security for our leaders when they travel abroad. We want them to be safeguarded and minded.

I remember the legislation passed after the O'Connell Street riots a few years ago. Incidentally, I was subsequently charged under that legislation. Thankfully, a jury in court found me totally innocent of any such charge. I think it related to directing terrorism. I saw a number of protests outside Leinster House last fall that were hijacked by a group called Éirígí and I happened to be in the middle of one of them. I got caught up in it when I was coming back to this House. Peaceful protest is being damaged. I fully support people's right to peaceful protest. I have spoken about this group in the House previously. It infiltrated a demonstration organised by certain politicians; its members got up on the backs of lorries to incite people. I saw them spitting at gardaí and belting them with flagpoles. They fired explosive crackers onto the ground to create flames which erupt within minutes. It was nasty. It is not acceptable for such persons to damage the right of peaceful protestors to raise various issues. I think one of the issues involved the pro-choice campaign and this crowd were there again. They were there another evening when a Bill was being debated here. It is alarming, worrying and disconcerting because they have no mandate. If people want to engage in a peaceful protest, they are entitled to do so. We cannot allow any small group to continually interrupt such demonstrations in order to cause bedlam and mayhem by attacking gardaí and protestors. They have to be reined in.

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