Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Our response to the events last Thursday will define us as a nation. My thoughts and prayers, like those of all others, are with the victims of the attack on Parnell Street, the three children and the care worker. We express our appreciation to all who intervened, to the gardaí, emergency services and others. Some commentators are saying that this is not us but it is time we had a difficult conversation about these issues. I know many friends from African countries who have felt and experienced racist incidents over many years in this country. The representation of minorities is all too small in our councils and our Dáil Chamber. There is an important role for the Electoral Commission in this regard.

Then there is the acceptable discrimination of Travellers in our country. We need to look at issues around diversity of our gardaí as well. We should look at something that has been successful in my own community, namely local integration forums, to support and deepen integration at a local level. An Coimisiún Toghcháin has a role tackling disinformation and the promotion and awareness and support for minority candidate in the upcoming elections is important.

We once took our democracy for granted and we thought we were safe here but we were wrong. We must fight really hard collectively to protect it from the far right. Billy Bragg, writing about the rise of the far right in the UK, said:

we need to challenge the Right's monopoly on patriotism - not by proclaiming our blind loyalty to our country, right or wrong, but by developing a narrative which explains how we all came to be here together in this place.

I commend the work of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Government. What we require in this House is unity of purpose around this issue. That is critically important.

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