Kilkenny councillor leads cross-border call for safety of elected representatives

A Kilkenny councillor is leading a cross border call to ensure the safety of all elected representatives.

Councillor Pat Fitzpatrick, current President of the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG), made the call in conjunction with President of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) Cllr Matt Garrett.

In a joint statement - a first for the organisations - they call for steps to be taken against the abuse and intimidation suffered by councillors.

“Councillors continue to experience high rates of abuse and intimidation, often involving violence. This is wrong, illegal, and must be condemned by all,” the joint statement reads.

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“We urge our governments and statutory bodies to work together to ensure that councillors and other elected representatives are sufficiently protected in-person and online while carrying out their roles, and to ensure that potential candidates are not discouraged from representing their local areas and communities.”

Cllr Fitzpatrick said results from an AILG survey “illustrate the daunting reality of life as a councillor in Ireland today, with 48% of respondents having considered leaving their role because of threats and harassment.

“A further 60% of respondents experienced threats via social media, while worryingly over 33% experienced threats in a face-to-face setting.

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“While local councillors fully appreciate that they should be challenged and scrutinised as part of their role as public representatives, no councillor should have to face threats to their personal safety or receive threats directed against their families. It is not acceptable and completely undermines the principles of free speech, democratic engagement and debate. By safeguarding the well-being of councillors, both north and south of the border, we are safeguarding the democratic process itself and ensuring that all our local communities thrive.”

Cllr Garrett said it was an important joint statement. 

“It is unfortunate that both organisations have had to come together to call for the stamping out of such intimation and abuse of elected representatives carrying out their day to day constituency work. That is how severe the situation has become, online and in person.”

“Our own survey at NILGA published earlier this year found that over three-quarters of local councillors in Northern Ireland (76%) have experienced abuse in their role, while a further 52% have said they have been intimidated by members of the public and ‘trolls’ on social media.”

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“It is clear that there needs to be tougher legislation and punishments to discourage the likes of online trolls and abusers, who feel emboldened by anonymity and being behind a screen, from harassing elected councillors.”

“This abuse just has to stop. It has become an all too common and familiar problem and I commend both bodies for coming together to start to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.”