A Labour TD says anyone concerned about illegal activity in Waterford should contact Gardai and not take the law into their own hands.
Deputy Ciara Conway's comments come in the wake of anti-Roma protests in the city, which saw a number of families being evacuated from their homes at the weekend.
Dozens of people gathered outside the homes of Roma families on Sunday and Monday, following an online campaign complaining of criminal activity.
Deputy Conway says such protests won't solve anything. “Waterford city, like any urban area has, from time to time blips and difficulties with street crime, but it’s not down to any one particular group or any one particular nationality.
“I would just appeal to people that if there is a difficulty that they report it to the gardai and let the criminal justice system do its job,” Deputy Conway said.
Speaking today about the incidents, ICCL (Irish Council for Civil Liberties) Director Mark Kelly said:
"The vast majority of law-abiding people in Waterford will be appalled by the criminal behaviour exhibited by a racist mob on the streets of their city last weekend.
The Hate and Hostility Research Group (HHRG) at the University of Limerick has been conducting research into the requirements for legislative reform of Ireland's existing laws on hate crime. The prosecution of anti-Roma hate crimes is one of the areas the group has examined.
The HHRG is led by Ms Jennifer Schweppe and Dr Amanda Haynes of the University of Limerick. Ms Schweppe said that Ireland falls behind the UK in that legislation here does not effectively tackle hate crimes or hate speech. Ms Schweppes warned that a failure to properly address these crimes can have a “ripple effect” on the community.
"Unlike Northern Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales, Ireland does not currently have a workable legislative solution to tackling hate crime or hate speech. Hate crimes have a ripple effect, spreading fear beyond the direct victim and into the wider community ... The legislature must send a clear and precise message that prejudiced or biased attacks on members of our community is unacceptable."
Minister of State for Equality, New Communities and Culture, Mr Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD said of the attacks in Waterford:
"Last weekend's events in Waterford must be condemned for what they were – cowardly and racist. Waterford is a beautiful city and deserves a much better reputation."
