»»Murphy: Trio ‘quick at scene’ of asylum rumours »»TD claims the sites are ‘burned down’ days later
PAUL Murphy has labelled Gavin Pepper, Philip Dwyer and Fergus Power “far-right activists” who arrive at rumoured asylum housing that is “burned down” days later.
The People Before Profit TD used Dail privilege to claim the recent spate of arson attacks on professed accommodation sites are “acts of far-right terrorism in the State”.
Mr Murphy told the chamber he was not suggesting any of the three had “possible involvement in nefarious activity”, but he argued there had been a “clear pattern” with recent fires.
He was speaking just 24 hours after an old dormer bungalow in Leixlip that had been incorrectly linked to asylum accommodation was burned down.
Mr Murphy accused the Government of not taking enough action to hold those responsible to account.
He told the Dail: “The pattern is very, very clear. A rumour starts, true or false, suggesting a property is going to be used. Far-right activists, people like Philip Dwyer, Gavin Pepper, Fergus Power, are quick to the scene.
“A few days later, it is burned down. We should call what we are seeing what it is. We are witnessing a campaign of far-right terrorism in this State.
“What has been the response? Almost nothing. Nobody charged. Fiddling while the country burns. We finally have three arrests this morning for the arson in Ringsend.”
Mr Murphy also accused the Government of “dancing to the tune of arsonists” by announcing changes to the supports available to Ukrainian refugees and that flights may be chartered to deport people.
Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail warned Mr Murphy he had named individuals “who are frequently named in the public media” and “that is fine”.
But he urged the Deputy to be careful, stating he had named the men “more or less in the context of suggesting
possible involvement in the
It’s open to that conclusion .. just be very careful please
SEAN O FEARGHAIL
IN DAIL YESTERDAY
nefarious activity. In other words, the burning down of buildings. That’s not in order if that’s what you are suggesting.
“It’s open to that conclusion, just be very careful please”.
Mr Murphy said he was not suggesting those people were directly involved and argued that he was pointing out a “pattern”.
BLAME
In response, Finance Minister Michael Mcgrath, who was filling in for Tanaiste Micheal Martin during Leaders’ Questions, branded Mr Murphy’s contribution outrageous and told him that “only you could come into the house and seek to blame the Government for people burning down buildings”.
He added: “You’ve actually made the work of the gardai more difficult and the work of our criminal justice system to secure successful prosecutions for people who are conducting criminal acts. I don’t think you’ve done anyone any service with the contribution that you’ve just made.”
Meanwhile, speaking on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show, the Taoiseach stated he believed arson attacks on locations linked to asylum accommodation could be characterised as hate crimes which would mean, he warned, “stiffer sentences”.
Leo Varadkar said: “These are serious crimes and they are also motivated by hate. Let’s not forget that.
“People often ask, what is hate crime? How do you legislate for hate?
“Somebody who is burning a building because they believe that people of a different nationality or a different colour are going to be accommodated there, that’s a very clear hate crime to me.
“Those who encourage it or spread disinformation knowing full well that this could be a consequence of it, that is a hate crime.
“Potentially [offenders] will get an additional stiffer sentence because of the hate element of this.”
Mr Varadkar also stated it is not believed that the recent spate of arson attacks are all being carried out by the same people.
He said all of the fires have been “different in nature” and added: “There are some that are doing it opportunistically, others who are connected to extreme right racist views who are more organised in what they’re doing.
“The attacks have been different. Take somewhere like Crooksling, the nursing home in Brittas. I would know that well from my time working as a doctor in Tallaght. It is where we would have sent patients.
“That was a big building. To burn that down took a lot of planning and took a degree of knowledge.
“In other places, it hasn’t been arson on that scale.”
Mr Varadkar said the recent arson attacks are a “worrying situation” and that he fears someone will “get killed or
seriously injured”.
These are serious crimes and they are motivated by hate
LEO VARADKAR ON NEWSTALK YESTERDAY