Irish Examiner View: Ireland must face down far-right threat to our democracy

Protesters at the US Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021. Picture: Jose Luis Magana, File

Is there a real threat to democracy in Ireland? A far-right march in the centre of Dublin on Monday attracted hundreds of supporters, which is an illustration of the raised temperatures in Irish society.

It is also a milestone of an unwanted kind — five or 10 years ago it would have seemed inconceivable that extremists seeking to spread hate could gather in such numbers in the capital, but now such events have been all but normalised.

The authorities are stressing that the far right in Ireland is relatively small and composed of disparate elements — many of whom have made cause with fascist groups in other countries — but there are valid concerns about the security implications for the forthcoming elections, for. instance.

Intimidation at polling stations is an activity Irish people would traditionally associate with failed states or emerging democracies, but now it is something which must be evaluated before the forthcoming local and European elections, and the general election which is expected to follow.

The democratic process is based on citizens exercising their franchise and the peaceful transfer of power: Events such as the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol show clearly what happens when those principles are subverted. 

Irish authorities have been forewarned and must take the necessary steps to ensure our democracy is not undermined.

Those steps should include ensuring the safety of our politicians, which has been acknowledged as a concern by the Irish security services. 

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Those services have stated that the threat to politicians is ‘moderate’, the second-lowest of the five threat levels, but the hostility embodied by that threat is having an effect.

Many of the public representatives who have announced they are leaving political life recently have instanced the toxic atmosphere in which politicians now operate. 

There can be no doubt that that that toxicity is a major disincentive when people are considering politics.

Just as the events of January 6 show what happens when democracy breaks down, the killing of MP Jo Cox in Britain by an individual linked to far-right groups shows what can ultimately happen when politicians are targeted.

The threat to Irish democracy must be stopped for all our sakes.

Social media must play its part 

The prevalence of online fraud is a concern for many of us, particularly as we conduct more and more of our business and commercial affairs with our phones and laptops.

In that light, it is sobering to consider the amounts involved in such fraud: Garda figures show that almost €60m was stolen from Irish victims in the past four years, for instance, which makes this a significant criminal enterprise with the capacity to steal from people no matter where they live in the country.

It is important, therefore, to be aware of how these criminals are seeking to develop their modus operandi with a view to stealing even more. 

Many readers will have received emails with elaborate stories of prominent figures seeking to share millions of euro if the recipient shares their bank details, an approach so blatant it can be easy to ignore.

Garda figures show that almost €60m was stolen from Irish victims in the past four years by fraudsters.

Yet FraudSmart, the fraud awareness initiative led by Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, has revealed that there is now a further refinement to defrauding people.

FraudSmart has revealed that, in one case, a man who lost €80,000 in an online scam lost a further €8,000 six months later. 

The man was called by a person who claimed to be from a “refund recovery firm”, telling him he could recover the funds he had lost if he paid an “administration fee” up front. 

However, when he paid the €8,000 “fee”, he also lost that money.

Exploiting a natural inclination to try to recover one’s losses is not the only focus of such gangs.

FraudSmart has also pointed out that online fraudsters are selling on the information they have gathered online about individuals to other criminal operators to facilitate more theft. 

Such gangs are also focusing on people over 50 looking to make financial provision for their retirement.

Safeguarding against such ruthless criminals is a challenge for us all, but it would be easier if some social media platforms did not facilitate such activity.

Bank of Ireland pointed out last month that companies should not be generating advertising revenue from criminals regarding false online articles which contribute to such crime. 

It is hard to disagree with that point.

Eurovision controversy

For decades, the Eurovision has been must-see TV, with Irish viewers enjoying representatives as various as Dana, Johnny Logan, and Dustin the Turkey. 

Though our competitiveness in the contest has ebbed in recent years, the event is still hugely popular.

This year’s event, which began in Malmö last night, is a little different. 

With the war in Gaza ongoing, Israel’s participation has been hugely controversial and that controversy has exposed contradictions aplenty.

The contest organisers, for instance, have been criticised for their inconsistency, banning Russia for invading Ukraine two years ago but allowing Israel to take part. 

Bambie Thug performing 'Doomsday Blue' at the Eurovision semi-final. Picture: Andres Poveda

Irish entry Bambie Thug responded to calls for a boycott by saying: “I stand with anyone doing the boycott. I think if I wasn’t in the competition I would also be boycotting.”

Organisers say they reserve the right to remove any flags and banners waved by Palestine supporters. 

Israel’s semi-final is Thursday, when we’ll learn if they’ll share a stage with Bambie Thug in Saturday’s final. 

Or which countries, if any, are willing to offer them douze points.