Fury over protest at Simon Harris home
Minister, wife and their newborn girl were inside
THERE has been widespread condemnation of a protest outside the Health Minister’s home yesterday.
The anti-austerity demonstration took place while Simon Harris’s wife Caoimhe and their three-week-old baby Saoirse were inside.
Members from the self-styled Fingal Battalion Direct Action Group posted a video on social media last night with members, standing behind a banner declaring: ‘Bring It To Their Doors’, saying they were at the minister’s house. A Facebook post noted that the action had been organised ‘to hold Harris accountable for the damage he is inflicting on the Irish working class’.
It is understood the incident began to unfold shortly after 2.30pm when the group of almost 20 people arrived outside the Harris family’s home in Co. Wicklow.
Mr Harris is at the centre of two political rows and the group that gathered at his home claimed he is ‘not even qualified for this job’, citing trolley numbers, the CervicalCheck scandal and the nurses’ strike. They insisted their demonstration was a silent and peaceful protest. Gardaí attended.
A Garda spokesman last night confirmed the ‘protesters left the scene peacefully and inquiries will be carried out’.
A spokeswoman for Mr Harris said he wanted ‘to thank An Garda Síochána for their assistance’.
There was widespread condemnation of the incident from across the political divide, including from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.
‘This is completely and utterly unacceptable,’ he said. ‘Everyone is entitled to peace and security with their family in their own home. Putting yourself forward for public service does not take away that right.’
Independent Alliance Minister John Halligan described it as a ‘despicable carry-on’.
‘Take the protest to the door of his department or the Dáil, but not his family home,’ Mr Halligan posted online. ‘No matter what grievance a person has with Simon Harris, his wife and baby do not deserve this.’
Louise O’Reilly, Sinn Féin’s health spokeswoman, told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘It’s not acceptable to target the minister’s home in this way. I’m glad that this situation was resolved quickly and I hope that he and his family are OK.’
Tony O’Brien, former directorgeneral of the HSE, condemned the incident. He said: ‘It is wrong under all circumstances. It is especially wrong to intrude on precious family time with a newborn baby.’
Labour TD Alan Kelly branded the protest ‘totally unacceptable’ while the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said the union and its members ‘condemn in the strongest possible terms the protests outside Minister Harris’s family home’.
The action group has been contacted for comment.