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".

"It's repulsive, and it needs to be called out. Men absolutely have a very important role to play in this, and should never recuse themselves from the conversation or recuse themselves from leadership in relation to this issue," he said.

It comes after the murder of US-born Jamey Carney in Killarney last week brings the number of women who have died violently so far this year to eight, one more than the entirety of 2025.

Her boyfriend, Ahmad Al-Saquar, aged 28, has been detained in Jordan after fleeing Ireland in the hours after the mother-of-one's death.

Mr 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.

"We have to be very careful about the role models. There were many incredible role models on the pitch at Croke Park for young men at the weekend. There are many, many good male role models, but this idea of the kind of glorification and glamorisation of people that are not only role models but are vile individuals is something we really have to reflect on."

It comes after Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn singled out People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger's response to two separate killings of women, claiming she had used "troubling double standards".

But Ms Coppinger hit back at the Cork North Central politician, stating that bringing race into the discussion around gender-based violence is a "distraction".

"A key factor in violence against women is proximity; 88% of all of the women killed in Ireland by femicide have known their victim," she said.

Women are being killed by men, we have a problem with male violence, and people who are trying to highlight race are distracting and creating a real problem in relation to educating people about violence against women.

Mr O'Flynn had issued a press release stating: "Following the conviction of Lorcan Murphy for the murder of Mackenzie Michalski in Budapest, Ms Coppinger used the case to make "sweeping claims" about Irish male culture, stating the crime was 'an outcome of the proliferation of violent pornography' and asserting 'there have to be other women' he had assaulted. No evidence was offered for either claim."

However, Ms Coppinger said several studies, including some carried out in Ireland, show the direct impact pornography has.

A 2024 study commissioned by Women's Aid found the consumption of mainstream pornography is fuelling high levels of violence against and degradation of women and girls.

Mr O'Flynn added that following the death of Ms Carney in Killarney, Ms Coppinger "took a very different approach" by criticising media outlets for reporting the suspect's background, which she said had irresponsibly stoked up the flames of racism.

Ms Coppinger also rejected this claim, adding that intimate partner violence is increasing partly because of the promotion of macho culture.