conspiracy theory | 

TD claims Dáil protest may have been “infiltrated” by people who “wanted to damage the cause”

He said Michael Healy-Rae, who was shoved and pushed by the protestors, “would have been more wise to take the garda advice and stay inside”.

Alan Sherry

Today at 08:50

INDEPENDENT TD Mattie McGrath has bizarrely claimed the far-right mob involved in violent scenes outside the Dáil this week could have been “infiltrated” by people who “wanted to damage the cause”.

The Tipperary TD also went on to say Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae, who was shoved and pushed by the protestors and is a member of the same Rural Independents Technical Group as McGrath, “would have been more wise to take the garda advice and stay inside”.

Tánaiste Micheal Martin accused Deputy McGrath of bring up far-right rhetoric in the Dáil last December when he alluded to conspiracy theories about the World Economic Forum.

When asked if he felt the Tánaiste’s criticism that he was spreading far-right conspiracy theories, Deputy McGrath said he doesn’t listen to the Tánaiste who he claimed he wasn’t working for the Irish people.

Gardaí made 13 arrests during the blockade outside Leinster House this week which saw a mock gallows with images of politicians from various parties across the political spectrum, outside the gates of the campus.

Gardaí had to escort politicians including Michael Healy Rae from the area after they were shouted at and shoved by angry protestors in scenes which were widely condemned.

The mob had a variety of gripes centred around far-right talking points including immigration and held placards with various slogans including “Irish Lives Matter”.

Videos showed Deputy Healy Rae being shoved and shouted at by the mob while he was escorted from the area by gardaí.

Deputy McGrath who is in the same rural independent technical group as Deputy Healy Rae put forward the bizarre suggestion that the mob may have been “infiltrated” when the Sunday World spoke to him on Saturday.

“People who want to protest have a right to protest. They could have been infiltrated, no one knows. I don’t know, I’m waiting for the garda intelligence to find out. The guards told us not to go out so we didn’t go out.”

He continued to suggest the far-right group could have been infiltrated.

“In fairness they could have been. I don’t know who was at it. I didn’t go out to see it. I stayed inside. The gardaí had intelligence that there were some nasty people there. I’m waiting to hear their report.”

Asked who he thought could have infiltrated the group, he said: “We have these people who will do anything to damage the cause.”

He then went onto suggest Deputy Healy Rae was partially to blame for what happened to him by going out on Kildare Street.

“He would have been more wise to take the garda advice and stay inside.”

He then moved to distance himself from the mob for their actions.

“When they attacked Michael Healy Rae, he’s in our group and we couldn’t be associated with them then so.”

Tanaiste Micheal Martin was highly critical of Deputy McGrath in December for pushing far-right talking points in the Dáil.

“I thought it was a very telling moment on Saturday,” Martin said at the time.” It was the first time ever on the floor of the house and people were taken aback by it. He had a script.

“Someone is advising the rural group. I suspect there are those on the far right who are seeking to plant their ideas. I can see far-right ideologues are going to try and penetrate groups in our parliament and get certain ideas across and we have to be vigilant about that.”

However, Deputy McGrath said yesterday that he didn’t care what the Tánaiste thought about him and said he wasn’t working for the Irish people.

“I’m sure Michael Martin will have some comment when he comes back but he should have been in Dublin and so should the Taoiseach to turn up at the Dáil and not at the UN.

“I’ve given up listening to Micheal Martin a long time ago, he’s betrayed everything he ever stood for including our neutrality so I don’t bother with what he says. He says whatever he does to suit an agenda that’s not the Irish agenda.

“It’s not clear who he is working for but it’s definitely not he Irish people because he wasn’t even in the country this week with the return of the Dáil.”

Asked if he would condemn the scenes outside the Dáil this week, Deputy McGrath said: “I condemn any violence or any threats of violence or any intimidation of people. People who want to have a legitimate protest must be allowed to do so.”

As well as being targeted outside Leinster House, politicians have been targeted by far-right activists at their homes and when they are in public in incidents which are recorded and posted online.

After the incident at Leinster House, far-right activists approached People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barret at a pub in Sallynoggin where they spent more than 10 minutes berating him and calling People Before Profit “traitors to the community”.

“You’re marching on your own people of Dun Laoghaire calling us fascists,” one of the group said to the TD.

“Youse (sic) are traitors the community…you’re welcoming these people in and you don’t know who they are.”

The TD responded: “We’re out fighting for housing, to stop evictions, [talking about] the cost of living. What you’re doing is just saying stuff about people who happen to come to this country. I don’t agree with you.”

One the group continued to berate the TD who responded: “We stopped evictions down in St Helen’s Court, I didn’t see you on the protest, I think every human being deserves a place to live.”

The TD went onto say: “You’re here to harass us. Look you got your video now.”

The incident only ended after the bar manager came over and asked them to leave after about 11 minutes.

In the aftermath of this week’s scenes outside Leinster House, Justice Minister Helen McEntee asked Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to conduct a review, focusing on the safety of TDs, senators, political staff working there.

Gardaí are already putting plans in place for a large security operation around Leinster House on budget day in October.