There are “alarming accounts” of instances of verbal or physical abuse on the campaign trail and they are a “profound attack on democracy”, according to Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik.
Her remarks come just over a week after Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman was assaulted while canvassing in his Dublin West constituency. A 45-year-old man has since pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr O’Gorman and is before the courts.
Separately, gardaí are investigating an incident where coffee was allegedly thrown at Labour MEP Aodháin Ó Ríordáin while he was canvassing for the party’s candidate Shane Folan in his former Dublin Bay North constituency.
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The alleged incident, which was reported in the Sunday Times, happened in Clontarf on Friday where a man is said to have tried to stop canvassers from putting leaflets into letter boxes.
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In the ensuing confrontation, it is alleged that the man threw coffee on Mr Ó Ríordáin before following the canvassers for a time and shouting abuse at them. The man later called the gardaí and was arrested when they arrived.
A Garda statement said it was investigating and a man who was arrested had since been released from custody. Inquiries were said to be ongoing.
Mr Ó Ríordáin declined to comment.
At an event unveiling the Labour Party’s election candidates on Sunday Ms Bacik said she would not comment on any individual incident where there may be a Garda investigation under way.
She did say there was a “need to ensure a kindness and a decency in politics” and the Labour Party “has always stood for that”.
Ms Bacik added: “I’ve been really dismayed and distressed at the level of vitriol, the level of toxicity that has entered political discourse, certainly online”.
She also said there had been “alarming accounts of attacks on those running for office, those who are canvassing or helping in the democratic process. It’s a deeply profound attack on democracy when we see attacks on those running for office, whether they’re verbal or more frighteningly physical attacks, so we absolutely condemn them.”
Separately, she set out how Labour wants to provide “secure, affordable homes”, to offer sustainable solutions to the “existential crisis of the climate catastrophe” and to provide stronger cost-of-living supports for struggling households.
She said the party was “serious about wanting to deliver on that change that we believe in” and it “will not just make up the numbers to be in government”.
Ms Bacik said that after the election her party would seek to agree “a common platform among other left, progressive and environmental parties”. She said Labour would contact other left-wing parties first when asked about the prospect of joining a coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
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