Burton: Jobstown water protest incident had 'parallels with fascism'

The Tánaiste has lashed out at the protestors who trapped her in a car in Jobstown, comparing them to fascists.

Joan Burton said it is totally unacceptable to be trapped as she was for two hours, and said the protest was fundamentally anti-democratic.

"I was worried about the parallels, to be honest, with fascism," she said.

"How you move from a situation where you're arguing - as you see it - from a democratic point of view, but you then decide that imprisoning people in a car is an appropriate way to treat people, or to have some kind of democratic discussion. I simply don't know."

During the Jobstown incident, the Tánaiste also appeared to be struck by a water balloon thrown by a member of the crowd outside Cósan college, where she was attending a graduation ceremony.

However, Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, who was at the event, has maintained the protest was entirely peaceful.

"I was there at the time Joan Burton got into the car. It's true that for two or three minutes there was some banging on the car. I don't think that counts as violence," he said at the time.

"Joan Burton was inside the car. She was safe."

The Tánaiste's comments on the incident come as the Water Services Bill goes before the Seanad for the final time today.