Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of my Regional Group colleagues, I send our best wishes to the children involved in that horrific stabbing incident, their carer and their family members. We remind parents, teachers and guardians that every Deputy is outraged at what occurred at Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire. I recognise the tremendous bravery of those who tackled and restrained the alleged perpetrator of this heinous act.

There is no doubt that the rise of the far right has been a topic of discussion in Europe for a number of years and in Ireland this past year. The events of 20 September, when political staff were targeted outside Leinster House, should have shown us what we were facing and what we should have been addressing. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups in our population who are starting to organise to pursue a national far-right agenda.

The rioting that followed the Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire assaults in Dublin was contributed to in large part by opportunistic thugs and low-level criminals intent on and more interested in looting than loitering, but it demonstrates nonetheless that there are those in Ireland who believe in fascism and racism and that violence and intimidation can deliver their political agenda. They represent a clear and present danger to this democratic Irish State. No half measures should be considered in the State's response when dealing with these abusers and thugs.

On 4 October, Regional Group colleagues and I submitted a motion on deficiencies within An Garda Síochána and highlighted many areas of conflict and difficulty for its members. There are two of these I would like to raise again. The first concerns GSOC, which appears to show more interest in minor member transgressions than the transformation of policing for the 21st century. The second concerns technology deployment. We asked at the time of the motion that the bodycam legislation be pushed on. It was being slow-walked until recently, and now it seems it can be done. It shows the State can respond quickly.

Let me refer to another aspect of policing deficiency. It is rather disingenuous of Garda management to say it could not anticipate what was going to unfold. There was a myriad of stories in social media earlier in the day on immigrant families trying to get their loved ones off the streets and out of work areas because they could see the messaging that was building. In this regard, a failure of Garda intelligence needs to be recognised and examined.

We also need to examine how social media messaging is now being used as a conveyor belt to deliver far-right messages, but it is also being used as the logistical apparatus to arrange and carry out further racial attacks on visitors and citizens. The Minister should have examined all the screenshots that were made of known telephone numbers. What powers will be given to the Garda to find the account holders and prosecute them?

We need to do more to respond to inward migration. We need to think not only about immigration but also about integration. We want all our new citizens to take a full part in our democracy, but there is a perceived lack of communication in respect of how this is happening. It is causing some disquiet, particularly in rural towns and villages. I ask the Government to address this further at the earliest opportunity.

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