Taoiseach warns of online misinformation fuelling violence
Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaking during the British-Irish Council (BIC) summit at the Slieve Donard resort in Co Down. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
The current level of “calculated” misinformation spread online to incite violence is a real concern, the Taoiseach has said.
Micheál Martin said some people want to exploit any situation or incident to provoke a violent response against others.
Mr Martin was in Co Down on Friday at the 43rd meeting of the British-Irish Council (BIC), which took place following a fourth consecutive night of violence in multiple towns in Co Antrim.
More than 40 officers have been injured in the various incidents, and Northern Ireland’s police chief warned “bigots and racists” that the police will pursue them.
Mr Martin noted that the BIC had met in Dublin on the evening of the Dublin riots in November 2023, drawing a parallel to Friday’s meeting and highlighting that it is an issue governments around the world are facing.
Such incidents, he said, have receded, but when one occurs, everybody is “on alert.”
The violence, fearmongering, and misinformation surrounding migration must be addressed at both a societal and political level, the Fianna Fáil leader said.
It is an issue that cannot be solved through the criminal justice system alone, he added, noting that “our system is slow.”
Mr Martin said the Government has observed how the UK has handled incidents similar to the Dublin riots more expeditiously, and it is “something we are keeping under review.”
Special courts are not currently under consideration, he said.
Speaking at the same conference, Mr Martin defended Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn’s work on legacy issues following criticism from the DUP.
He paid tribute to Mr Benn's "honesty, determination and the way he has pursued this issue" adding that he would never question the secretary’s bona fides when it comes to doing the best for the people of the North.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson had criticised what he called Mr Benn’s “disgraceful attempt to satisfy the Irish Government” while dealing with legacy matters.
Mr Martin said it is important for the two Governments to continue working together so that all victims and their families can learn the truth about what happened.
"Irrespective of our backgrounds, our government, we are all meeting victims and now we are meeting the grandchildren, grand-nephews and grand-nieces of victims," he said, adding there is an onus on all sides to develop a process that can comprehensively address the legacy of the Troubles.
Regarding renewed calls for a public inquiry into the death of former IRA member Denis Donaldson, Mr Martin said he has no objection to meeting with the family.
Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Donegal in 2006, less than six months after disclosing that he was an MI5 and PSNI informer.
Mr Martin said he is open to hearing the family’s perspective, acknowledging that they have endured a huge and ongoing trauma.
"Invariably, we should be very clear, it is the people who carried out the murder who bear the responsibility here and that is the case in all murders and acts of violence," he said.
"It is those who drove the bombs, those who pulled the triggers that are responsible."
However, there is a need to examine whether security and policing were adequate in any given situation, and this is done through Fiosrú, the Taoiseach said.
Mr Martin said that Casement Park has been idle for far too long, and now is the time to agree on how to proceed with the stadium’s construction.
Earlier this week, the UK Government announced it had allocated £50 million toward the redevelopment project, which is expected to cost nearly £270 million.
Mr Martin welcomed the UK funding and said the Government’s €50 million commitment from the Shared Island Fund is “unprecedented.”
He said the Northern Ireland Executive and the GAA will now consider how best to proceed.
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