The Indo Daily: Is the Taoiseach safe in his own home?

Within minutes, their protest had been posted on X. Their apparent demands were predictable: close borders to all migrants; introduce mass deportations and clear tents housing refugees from the streets of Dublin. One could be heard making a reference to the Covid-19 vaccine.

Their numbers may have been small, but they made a noise. They did not try to hide the location of the semi-detached house behind them. It was the home of Taoiseach Simon Harris.

The recent local and European elections shone a light on the ugly side of Irish politics. Harassment and intimidation of politicians has become an alarming theme.

We saw Simon Harris and a garda jostled on the streets of Castlebar, Fine Gael’s candidate for Mayor of Limerick faced calls for his family home to be attacked, and Justice Minister Helen McEntee’s young family recently had to be evacuated from their home on foot of a bomb scare.

What is driving this worrying trend? Is social media to blame? And could Ireland be on the cusp of its own Jo Cox moment?

Today on the Indo Daily, Ellen Coyne is joined by John Meagher, journalist with the Irish Independent, to look at the escalating protests against politicians, and ask: is the Taoiseach safe in his own home?