Mick Clifford: Unity needed to beat far right

Since last Thursday week, the oft-repeated line is that the riots and all the attendant fall-out have acted as a wake-up call. The jury is out on that, writes Mick Clifford

Since last Thursday week, the oft-repeated line is that the riots and all the attendant fall-out have acted as a wake-up call. The jury is out on that.

Last Monday on RTE’s Up front with Katie Hannon programme, former senior garda Pat Leahy set out what faces the country. He was talking in the wake of the riots that blighted Dublin city centre ten days ago and, in particular, the threat posed by what is referred to as the far right.

“If we focus on the policing response we will miss the picture,” he said. “This was an attack on our democracy and we either step up and address it properly or we will lose this battle for sure. We have to agree a definition of the problem which we haven’t done so far.” He went on to say that the government has to lead on this.