CEANN COMHAIRLE VERONA Murphy began the first day of the new Dáil term with a call to action that more must be done to combat against threats and abuse of politicians. 

Taking to her feet before Leaders’ Questions today, Murphy said: 

“In recent times, we have witnessed an alarming rise in the serious threats and online abuse directed at a significant number of members of the Houses of the Oireachtas of all parties and none, a phenomenon that can no longer be ignored.” 

She said the abuse often emanates from unverified profiles on various online platforms “which facilitate unsavory discourse and foster unhealthy narratives that bear little resemblance to fact or reality”.

In her role as Ceann Comhairle, Murphy said she has a duty to safeguard members of the Dáil, stating “this chamber must remain a secure environment for the conduct of parliamentary business”.

She told members that along with her concern for politicians, she is also concerned  the environment may deter decent people from entering public life.

‘Defend political debate’

“If we allow a culture of fear and intimidation to take root, we risk losing the very essence of democratic representation. It is incumbent upon us all to collectively defend the integrity of political debate and cultivate an environment that encourages participation without fear,” she said. 

She said politicians must create a space where diverse views can be expressed safely and openly.

Murphy spoke about the report from the task force of safe participation in politics, which was delivered last year, stating that in her view, it now needs to be supplemented by concrete legislative proposals.

“The experiences of our counterparts in the UK, US and other democratic jurisdictions serve as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of inaction,” she added. 

“We are not insulated from this global trend. But in the words of Barack Obama, our democracy is threatened when we take it for granted. I am therefore requesting a meeting with all party and group leaders with a view to formulating an appropriate consensus response to dealing with this issue,” said Murphy. 

She concluded by stating that the challenges posed by social media platforms demand “immediate” attention.

“We must collaborate to protect the integrity of our political discourse, a commitment to discourse that is rigorous yet fair, impassioned yet principled and consistently respectful is essential as we embark on this term,” she said, urging all members of the House to reflect on the tone of their interactions with each other.

Her comments come days after Tánaiste Simon Harris spoke out about threats and abuse levelled at him and his family, where bomb threats were made against his home, and threats of kidnap and extreme violence were made against his child and close family member.