Sinn Féin stoop to new low in exploiting unidentified man in Dáil to score cheap political shot- Brophy

Sinn Féin have stooped to a new low in exploiting a vulnerable man in the Dáil to score a cheap political shot in response to last week’s violence in Dublin, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Colm Brophy said Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly must be roundly condemned for producing an image showing a man sitting on the steps of Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire, where three children and a carer were viciously stabbed last week.

Deputy Brophy said: “Deputy O’Reilly attempted to sow more division in response to violence in the capital by producing an image of an unknown man outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire on Parnell Square in the Dáil chamber earlier today.

“Referencing the vulnerable individual sitting on the steps of the school, Deputy O’ Reilly told the Dáil ‘This is what greeted those children six days after that traumatic and horrific event to three of their classmates and one of their staff members.’

Deputy Brophy continued: “The same image was earlier posted on social media by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

“This is absolutely reprehensible and unacceptable from Deputy O’Reilly, who along with her party, has been attempting to undermine the work of the Gardaí and Government since last week.

“Deputy O’Reilly and her colleagues would be better served working with Government to come up with a proactive response and solutions to the mayhem and destruction that unfolded in Dublin last Thursday night.

“We saw last week how a handful of far-right extremists online sought to cause havoc and encourage those who are young and impressionable to take to the streets. Those individuals subsequently engaged in criminality and carried out mindless acts of vandalism and destruction.

“Exploiting the man in this post as if there is a correlation to people who may live on the streets and the shocking events of last Thursday is absolutely wrong and serves no purpose other than to create more division at a time when we could do without it,” Deputy Brophy said.