Sharing of TDs' addresses online prompts renewed calls to end publication practice
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The sharing of TDs' home addresses online has prompted renewed calls for the ending of their publication at election time.
Addresses of election candidates are published as a matter of course, but home addresses have been shared on publicly-available websites, often leading to protest or harassment of public representatives.
An Oireachtas report into participation in public life earlier this year said that address sharing should no longer be a requirement for election candidates and this should be optional. The taskforce which published the report said that submissions had found the practice "problematic".
The Women For Election group says that the sharing of addresses is a safety concern for women who might otherwise be interested in standing.
A spokesperson said it should be entirely up to the candidate how much of their address is shared.
"The balance between personal safety and public accessibility is crucial, and candidates should feel empowered to make decisions that best reflect their circumstances, concerns and safety of their families.
"Women face several barriers when entering politics and their safety is one of those barriers. Safety concerns arise especially when a politician's home address is in the public domain, particularly in today's climate. Women for Election believe it should ultimately be each candidate's choice what personal identifying information is made public and have been calling for legislative change to enable this in the context of elections."
Speaking at the official opening of the Listowel bypass in Co Kerry, Taoiseach Simon Harris said he hopes the access Irish people have to their politicians will be maintained despite an increase in intimidation and violent threats from elements of the far-right.
"I think it’s important, that when we obviously acknowledge the fact that we have seen some violent incidences, threats against politicians across the political divide, (threats) against their families, against their homes, we should never allow that small number of people who wish to engage in thuggery, in intimidation or in breaches of our law try to distort who we are as a people," he said.
"My experience, and the experience I’m sure of my colleagues, has been that the people of this country haven’t vastly changed."
He said Irish people are overwhelmingly decent — people who know how to engage in robust but respectful political debate.
"And that is by being accessible like we are here in Kerry today, or at the Tullow Show or other shows and meeting people from across the country."
Mr Harris has been subject to intimidation at his home by masked men who hold anti-immigration banners, but said that he does not believe more laws are needed.
"The laws of the land are clear in relation to this. Everybody has a right to go about their business without being impeded.
"And you don’t give up that right when you become a public representative."