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

While I cannot speak for the Commissioner, I know that he was referring in his statements to the fact that we cannot link every attack to the same group of people or individuals. There was an incident recently when a vacant building that had nothing to do with any type of accommodation for anyone was set alight. We are talking about acts of criminality. The individuals are criminals, not masterminds. As far as I am concerned, these are criminals who are going around setting buildings alight and putting people at risk. We are really lucky that nobody has been seriously injured or worse. The Deputy should be reassured that the Garda is taking this as seriously as necessary.

When it comes to dealing with the online space, we have an Online Safety Commissioner now. The Deputy's colleague in the Green Party has been responsible for getting Coimisiún na Meán up and running. It is actively engaging with the online providers and gardaí. It is about safeguards where something does not necessarily cross the threshold. One of the issues brought to my attention is that there is a very high threshold in the incitement legislation, particularly when trying to prosecute. The DPP is very clear on what it needs and the evidence it requires, and that is why we have the hate crime legislation, which I want to enact. We need to ensure our laws are as strong as possible so the Garda has the resources it needs. However, evidence is needed, and that is why Coimisiún na Meán will be so important. It is a matter of service providers taking down harmful content that has not crossed the threshold. Where they cross it, they must be fined and penalised. There is a body of work involving Coimisiún na Meán, the online providers and An Garda Síochána.

Separately, it is so important that where people have information on any of these incidents, they provide it to the Garda. On the Deputy's point, it is not just a matter of the person who lights the match but also of the person who plans the incident and aids and abets. Those who have information and do not come forward are as guilty as the person who lights the match.

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