Taskforce on politicians’ safety to hear from Twitter, Meta and gardaí

A new taskforce examining the safety of politicians in Ireland will hold its first official meeting on Thursday and agree a programme of up to eight hearings.

The taskforce, which will meet privately, will examine the nature, prevalence and impact of abuse on men and women who participate in political life in Ireland. They will examine what public policies, including legislation, is needed to safeguard and support those who work in politics.

The group is being chaired by former Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan.

According to the taskforce’s programme of work, it will hear from a large range of bodies while also hearing the personal testimony of those affected.

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Groups who are scheduled to appear between September and December include the Jo Cox Foundation and the Garda.

British Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed outside her constituency office in west Yorkshire by a far-right extremist during the European Union referendum campaign in June 2016.

The taskforce will also look at the response of social media platforms in addressing online abuse and harassment. In November, representatives from Twitter and Meta will meet the taskforce.

There will also be hearings with the Electoral Commission, United Nations representatives as well as Paul Bew, former chairman of the UK Committee on Standards in Public Life, an independent advisory body.

The taskforce was set up earlier this year after reporting in The Irish Times revealed the scale of the abuse women politicians face during their work, both in person and online. Some said they faced death threats and sexual harassment regularly, others reported being followed and some said they had people turning up at their homes.

Women public representatives spoke of having to put extra locks on their homes and offices, and some said they no longer hold constituency clinics on the advice of gardaí.

The 17-person taskforce is to report back by December 31st with recommendations on how to address the problem of abuse and harassment in political life. It met informally on Thursday evening, and will hold a first official meeting on June 12th

After the final report is sent to Government, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl will move to set up an implementation group to ensure the recommendations are followed.

The membership includes the Women for Election chief executive Caitríona Gleeson, Independent TD Cathal Berry, Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, Senator Frances Black, Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Fianna Gael Minister of State Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Fianna Fáil TD Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers and Sinn Féin TD Sorca Clarke.