Aoife Moore: Politicians need to set an example and modify their own online behaviour first

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald: The party has published social media guidelines for its members.Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Politicians and members of every party say online abuse is wrong, but see no contradiction in happily following accounts that abuse their rivals in Government, or indeed journalists. I know this to be true because my own personal troll enjoys a number of Leinster House staff as followers.

I say this not to cast shame on those who follow the account or to paint myself as a victim, but to illustrate the tacit acceptance of abuse levelled at those we see as against us.