Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, based on the Commissioner's public statements, his statements at the committee and his idea that there is no systemic planning and that it is simply a matter of one-off events, I do not share that confidence. Furthermore, it is not just a question of the person who lights the match. Our criminal law provides that anyone who aids, abets, counsels or procures is an accomplice and is as guilty as the principal offender. Equally, there is the crime of incitement. We have seen plenty of incitement that has gone utterly unpunished. I am talking about incitement of criminality, let alone incitement of hatred and the hate speech aspect.

I underline that we need to address the systemic issues related to people who are deliberately planning, plotting and organising and who present a serious and genuine threat to the institutions of our democracy. Beyond this, there are people who are openly planning, recruiting and bragging about vigilante groups being set up around the country. There are people posting their community patrols on Facebook and posting recruitment posters for them. They are trying to pull people in. Vigilante groups are absolutely a threat to our democracy. Journalists are being singled out, called out by name, threatened, harassed and intimidated. Despite how we may feel about journalists and some of the things they say about Members, they are an essential part of our democratic institutions. They, too, are under attack from the same sources. There is a very serious, shadowy threat against our democracy and people's lives are at risk. I do not believe, based on the Commissioner's public statements, that he is taking the matter seriously.

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