Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has said that protests outside politicians’ homes “does nobody's cause any good”.
It comes following protests outside the homes of both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy last week.
The Irish Mirror reported that a group calling itself “ICT” or “Irish Communities Together” gathered outside the home Mr Varadkar shares with his partner Matt Barrett in Portobello, Dublin City.
READ MORE: Protesters gather outside Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's home
The group posted videos on TikTok of their protest. It was not clear what they were protesting, however. The group had posted videos from anti-refugee protests.
Speaking in UCD, Minister Donohoe said that protests outside people’s homes are “unacceptable”.
When asked by the Irish Mirror if he believed that legislation was needed to prevent protests outside politicians’ homes, the Fine Gael TD said that legislation is in place regarding protests and these events are carefully monitored by gardaí.
He said: “The legislative framework is already in place with regard to how we manage protests within our society.
“I know it's something the guards take extremely seriously. I believe protests outside anybody's home is unacceptable, whether you're any kind of a public figure.
“The law is there for it to be enforced. But I know the gardaíare already taking this issue really seriously.
“The guards have to manage the trade-off between protests taking place in what could still be a public thoroughfare that is outside somebody's private property. I've experienced all of this myself.
“I know if the guards come forward with any requirements or suggestions regarding law needing to be changed. I'm sure the Oireachtas and the government will positively consider it.
“But unfortunately, the protest does tend to be organised in such a way that it does take place on public spaces and the gardai have a duty to manage that carefully.
“In any event, it's unacceptable and it does nobody's cause any good.”
The protest outside Mr Varadkar’s home came just a number of days after People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy’s hotel was targeted by what he described as a “far-right group”.
The TD and his partner were giving their 10-week-old baby a bath when the group showed up.
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