Today’s admission by Jim O’Callaghan that he does not spend a huge amount of time looking at online content was an extraordinary comment for a Minister for Justice to make, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Deputy Gannon, who is a TD for Dublin Central and the party’s justice spokesperson, said:
“Minister O’Callaghan was on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today to give his response to yesterday’s horrific incident in Stoneybatter, which has left the local community numb with shock.
“During the course of the interview, the Minister was asked if he agreed with comments I had made earlier on the same programme about the spread of misinformation and disinformation online by far-right agitators.
“Incredibly, the Minister responded that he does not spend a huge amount of time looking at online content because there is so much inaccurate information on there.
“But the Minister is completely missing the point – this is the very reason he needs to take online content seriously. Has he forgotten that the dissemination of outright lies online was what lit the spark of the Dublin city centre riots back in November 2023?
“As Justice Minister, he should be more than aware that the far-right never miss an opportunity to spread fear and hatred on the back of a tragedy like yesterday’s.
“It simply beggars belief that our Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration would not be cognisant of the sinister role played by these malevolent actors through their use of online platforms.”
February 10, 2025