Fine Gael members raise security concerns over harassment while canvassing

One party member said he had been significantly harassed in public in recent days when out in public, while not actually involved in electioneering.

Other Deputies, and a female Senator, then expressed fears about the looming election campaign when the temperature might rise significantly — with the Taoiseach saying he was taking careful note of what people were saying.

There was criticism of an Oireachtas €5,000 security grant for greater protection of homes and offices, which members said wasn’t working as intended because the authorities wanted a level of security authorisation that many qualified and accredited installers do not have.

Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, Alan Farrell, said he would bring members’ concerns back to the Houses.

“It was represented that the Oireachtas is still not enabling the proper protection of members as is its duty,” he told the Irish Independent.

“There are of increased safety concerns, both in Leinster House, at constituency level, and in the streets.”

Also at tonight’s parliamentary party meeting, Taoiseach Simon Harris said there will be action taken very soon to resolve the numerous tents pitched alongside Dublin’s Grand Canal — echoing what he said in the Dáil earlier.

The Fine Gael leader said the situation there wasn’t comparable to what occurred at Mount Street, which was allowed to go for several months before a multi-agency operation intervened and moved the asylum seekers to tented accommodation at sites in Co Dublin and Co Wicklow.

Mr Harris said there is a role for every Government department to help resolve the migration issue in a coherent and collegiate fashion.

Mr Harris also said a Dublin city task force will report to him by the end of July with recommendations for Government, the local authority and other state agencies. He added that he hoped other parts of the country see the benefit of such a group.