Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which is on all our minds at the moment. I will start with a positive: all communities across the country have been extremely welcoming and supportive of the large number of people who have come to this country seeking protection and shelter. That will continue.

While people have a right to protest, which we should always protect, people do not have a right to do so in a way that causes harm or causes people to fear for their safety or in a way that threatens public safety and order. The intimidation of migrants and the blocking of access to accommodation centres, in particular, are absolutely unacceptable and warrant an appropriate response from the Garda. I do believe the Garda has responded appropriately. It is important to point out that many of the people at protests are not the ones who escalate the violence or escalate activity to the point where arson is committed. There is a line in this regard that gardaí have to examine. They must find out who is saying what, whether they cross a threshold, whether the threshold is a criminal one, where hurtful and harmful is being used as opposed to the carrying out of certain acts. All this work has to be done. I assure the Deputy that the Garda does monitor this type of behaviour. It monitors the protests and what has been said online. However, to have prosecutions, you need a huge amount of evidence. Last year alone, more than 800 protests were monitored by an Garda. In the Dublin metropolitan region alone, there were 430. At those, there were 43 arrests, 32 of which were during the protests. However, there were 11 arrests afterwards. While it might not seem like something is happening at the time or on the day, work is done afterwards.

There are also gardaí proactively looking online. Only last night, I spoke to someone in my constituency with a property that was targeted by individuals who stated online that people would be coming to it seeking international protection. Gardaí came to him and said they saw the information online and that he needed to ensure his property was secure. They said they could support him in doing that. However, we have to be realistic as well. It is not possible for the Garda to manage and stand outside every single vacant property in the country. I believe the Deputy agrees with that. We have to ensure that where situations arise, gardaí have the resources available to conduct the investigations. The Deputy mentioned that ten arrests have already been made specific to the arsons that have taken place, not just those of the past few weeks but also those of the past few months. Other arrests have taken place related to vandalism at these properties. It is so important that people realise vandalism is not protesting. Somebody who believes that by breaking a window at a direct provision centre, they are merely making a point should realise that doing so is a criminal act. There are very serious penalties when it comes to arson. The maximum is up to life in prison When it comes to vandalism, it is up to ten years in prison or a significant fine. People need to be very clear.

It is very important that we do not in any way suggest gardaí or anyone else in this House is responsible for what is happening or that those seeking protection are responsible. The only people who are responsible for the arson attacks, vandalism, the violence we are seeing and the harmful language online are those planning and carrying out these acts and lighting the matches. There can never be a justification for such acts, regardless of circumstance or alleged motivation.

I stress what I have said several times: anybody who has information needs to come forward. You are complicit if you are not providing information to An Garda Síochána. I appreciate it can be frustrating for people who want to see arrests take place yesterday. However, if you want a conviction you need to make sure the criminal threshold is reached, there is CCTV, there are witnesses, there are people willing to come forward and, when you go to the DPP, there is enough evidence for a prosecution. The Garda is absolutely committed to ensuring those responsible for these vile acts are held accountable. I do not like the situation any more than the Deputy but the Commissioner, whom I speak to regularly, has been assured that he will have any additional resources he needs.

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