"Irresponsible" comments about asylum-seekers were criticised yesterday by the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, who said she feared some politicians would use the "racist card" in the general election.
People should not give their vote to candidates who did not show "the basic respect for every person's human dignity", she told students at the CBS secondary school in Tramore, Co Waterford.
Ms Harney did not refer directly to comments made recently by the Cork Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Noel O'Flynn, who said too many asylum-seekers were coming to Ireland and he was against "the spongers, the freeloaders, the people screwing the system".
She said, however, that a lot of the comments we were now hearing about asylum-seekers were "very irresponsible".
"Public representatives, most of all, should avoid inflammatory language. They should lead the way in respecting the dignity of all persons, citizens and non-citizens, asylum-seekers and working immigrants, Travellers and settled community alike."
There was no use talking about someone's responsibilities to keep law and order "if you don't first respect that person's human dignity", she said. With the election coming up, she was concerned that some would use the "racist card" to win support: "This would undermine our democratic values by currying support for the worst reasons."
She told her audience they would understand how bullying undermined the atmosphere and trust among students in a school. "It ruins everything and it can ruin individual lives. Racist bullying is one of the worst forms of bullying for the whole of society. I am sure you would not tolerate racist bullying in school. And, just as in school, each of us must stand firm against it in society.
"Racism ruins lives. It can and does kill. There is plenty of evidence for that from other societies. Tragically, it looks like there is already evidence of it in Ireland."