Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I represent Dublin 15, which contains Ashtown. We all know what happened in Ashtown, not only at the migrant camp last week but the community also faced the murder of a woman, Maud Coffey, a few short weeks ago.

Ashtown is a multicultural place to live. It is a growing and diverse community of wonderful people. What happened last week was a disgusting and disturbing act. Probably one of the worst acts a human being can do is to target people who are more vulnerable and at a low point in their lives, and prey on them. These people are you and me and the people who attacked them are the worst of us. Fear is not a cause. In this case it is a crime.

We all have to stand together against this type of action and for people who are vulnerable, defenceless and innocent. It has been said many times in the House that all it takes is somebody with an air of respectability, perhaps with success behind him or her, who can ride the wave of the right wing and create a movement that we do not want. I concur with what my colleague, Senator Sherlock, said about online media and how the message was amplified and has incited people to attack and target. I want to reflect on this and agree it is something that we must all stand against.