Riot incited by O'Toole, says Leyden

SEANAD REPORT:THE RIOT outside Leinster House last Tuesday had been incited by Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole, Terry Leyden (FF) said.

It was very unfair that certain elements had incited people to try to “storm the Bastille”, an attempt that had been thwarted thanks to the diligence of the Garda.

Cathaoirleach Pat Moylan said Mr Leyden should not be commenting on anybody.

Seanad leader Donie Cassidy said he hoped that this was “a once-off situation.” He had been surprised about the participation of one or two public media people in the demonstration.

A small breakaway group of 30 or 40 seemed to have been involved in the unacceptable behaviour at the gates.

David Norris (Ind) said the justifiable anger and pain felt by the public needed expression, but it was regrettable that a small minority had tried to reflect it in a very wrong manner.

He had offered to address those gathered at the railings in an effort to calm things down, but Leinster House officials had told him they did not think that would help.

Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green) said people purporting to be anti-war were using violent methods to advance their cause. There was a need to be wary about such developments, especially in the light of what had happened in Greece, where people had been killed.

John Hanafin (FF) said there had been an inane attempt to ape what had happened in Greece.

Eoghan Harris (Ind) said he agreed that the significance of the demonstration should not be overstated. However, it had thrown into sharp relief the behaviour of the mass of the Irish people in the midst of a great structural crisis.

There had been demonstrations by old age pensioners and the public sector unions.

“Apart from that, Irish democracy proceeded with steadiness and with a lack of hysteria and with a lack of posturing.”