Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has expressed concern that Ireland may be approaching a critical point in terms of violence directed at politicians, reports RTE.
The Dublin West TD made his comments during his party’s think-in, following the recent killing of US conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Mr O’Gorman, who previously served as Minister for Children, had himself been the subject of threats and demonstrations during his time in that role.
When asked whether he believed Ireland was nearing a more perilous phase, he responded: “I am worried that some morning we’re going to turn on Morning Ireland and hear – not a report from happening in the States or the UK, but something happening here,” reports RTE.
He went on to say that he genuinely believes “a step has to be taken, can be taken in Ireland, I think it has to be taken in Europe as well”.
“One concrete proposal that we’re calling on Government to at least examine today is to look at the recommender systems, those algorithms that the platforms use to target and to promote certain types of material to people,” said Mr O’Gorman, reports RTE.
“And we know those systems are there, and we believe they should be turned off. We think that is an important step that could be taken.”
He noted that Senator Malcolm Noonan, a member of the Joint Oireachtas Media committee, will raise the issue and urge the minister to work with Coimisiún na Meán, reports RTE.
Mr O’Gorman referenced the regulator’s code of conduct, which was published last year.
“In the draft code of conduct, there was a proposal through to turn those recommender systems off that didn’t actually make the final draft. And I think that measure should be looked at again,” he said.
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“It’s not the absolute solution here, but it will stem the flow of a very significant amount of violence, of radicalizing imagery to young people, and particularly to people who are who are vulnerable to the impact of this,” reports RTE.
“This is a non-partisan thing. This is about making politics safer, making public life safer for absolutely everybody.”
In an earlier appearance on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Gorman said he never thought about quitting politics, despite facing threats during his tenure as Minister for Integration.
“I didn’t consider leaving politics, but I had to dramatically change my life,” he said, reports RTE.
“Our house is like a fortress now, in terms of electric gates, five cameras, alarms … It does dramatically change your life,” reports RTE.
“I’ve always made the point that in Ireland, politicians are accessible. We’re different to politicians on the continent where there’s a huge gap … I still did it, but it was different,” reports RTE.
“On a Sunday evening when I’m out shopping, I’ll pick up a few constituency queries. I couldn’t do that when I was minister because you had this bubble around you.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris also addressed the killing of Charlie Kirk, calling it both “appalling” and “horrifying.”
He described the incident involving the right-wing political commentator as deeply troubling, reports RTE.
“This is a very dark day, a dark development, and it needs to be condemned,” he told journalists in Adamstown earlier today.
“Two young children have been left without their dad. A wife has been left without her husband. And political violence is never acceptable,” he said, reports RTE.
The Tánaiste added that political violence and threats now appear to be “almost contagious right across the globe” and stressed that such acts cannot be allowed to continue.
“It’s very easy for people to condemn violence, political violence, threats of political violence, when it’s against somebody that they agree with. It’s actually more important that it’s condemned when that violence is carried out against somebody whom you may have different views,” he added, reports RTE.
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