Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I start by joining Deputies across the House in paying tribute to those affected by the brutal assault last Thursday afternoon, and, in particular, those who remain in hospital. Our thoughts are with them and with their families at this very difficult time.

As Minister for children, I think in particular of the childcare worker wounded while defending the children in her care. It is deeply upsetting that someone working in a job which is rooted in love and in care would be harmed in such a violent manner. I know that early years professionals around the country are thinking about her this week.

What transpired following those horrific events rightly appalled our entire country. Throughout Thursday and the weekend, my Department remained in close contact with centre managers and An Garda Síochána to ensure the safety of all those resident in international protection, IP, accommodation and I want to thank gardaí and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, for acting so swiftly in this regard. I know that people living in IP accommodation and indeed many people from a migrant background in our country were left deeply shaken by Thursday’s events.

I believe that the vast majority of people in this country are kind and caring and while we might have different backgrounds or political views, we are respectful of one another. What is clear to me is that when it comes to the far right, they do not care about women, children, freedom or about any of the issues that they profess to care so much about. The only thing they care about is exploiting a tragedy and perpetuating lies in order to advance their own narrow agenda. This is an agenda to drip poison into Irish politics. This is not a problem which is unique to Ireland. Many countries are grappling with it but there is no room for complacency here. We cannot think that Ireland is somehow immune from the far right. We have an open and democratic society and within that all of us have a responsibility, the entire political system, not to follow this path and a responsibility to counter misinformation and not to capitalise from it. We have the challenge those who wilfully and recklessly spread lies because we saw from last week that misinformation will only lead to violence and destruction.

When inaccurate statements are made, we must challenge them respectfully but they must be challenged. I am sorry that Deputy Collins is not here now but when Deputy Collins said that it was not far right activists who stoked the violence on Thursday, I am sorry but that statement simply has no credibility. Anyone just has to look at Twitter and to look at these anonymous profiles, many of which are proudly boasting that they are far right. You recognise them. They have the tricolour image all over them, trying to use our national flag as a veil for the poison they are trying to spread around our country. The far right was absolutely central to the violence which was seen on the streets of Dublin on Thursday and I am not going to stand in our national Parliament and let anybody try and hide their involvement. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

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