Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl has said he is “very worried” that attacks, like that on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, could happen here.
Mr Fico’s condition has stabilised but remains serious after he was shot in an assassination attempt yesterday.
The populist leader underwent several hours of surgery following the attack after a government meeting in the town of Handlova, around 140km north-east of the capital Bratislava.
Ireland is no different to other European countries, Mr Ó Fearghaíl said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he warned that some sections of the public have become completely alienated and, if left unchecked, situations could escalate to that seen in the UK, and the murders of MPs Jo Cox and David Amess.
“That if left unchecked, will bring us to a point where unfortunately they got to in Britain when Jo Cox and the late Sir David Amess, were actually murdered,” he said.
“Society must wake up and decide if we want a normal, decent democracy or if we want to allow a cohort to take over and enforce mob rule,” An Ceann Comhairle added.
“Some sections of the public have become completely alienated from the body politic.
“We are seeing all of this activity on social media, a coarsening of public debate, and the inevitable conclusion of the progression of that sort of thing is what we saw last September, when the Dáil resumed and we had those appalling protests and gallows and pollsters outside Leinster House.”
Mr Ó Fearghaíl said the recommendations of a taskforce examining safe participation in political life must be implemented, but added that some social media platforms are refusing to engage on the issue.
Legislation must become a factor if common decency does not prevail, he said.
