Simon Harris: Focus on race and ethnicity of violent offenders is 'downright wrong'

The Tánaiste was speaking on the 'pandemic' of gender-based violence globally 

Tánaiste Simon Harris said: 'Domestic sexual and gender-based violence is an epidemic in this country. It's a global epidemic, and therefore it's a pandemic. And regardless of the nationality or ethnicity of somebody who carries it out, that entirely misses the point.' File picture: Colin Keegan/Collins

Race and ethnicity should not be brought into discussions around femicide, the Tánaiste has said, in describing gender-based violence as a global pandemic.

Simon Harris has said that focusing on the nationality or background of a perpetrator "entirely misses the point" and is "downright wrong and disgusting".