I would like to outline the rationale for my actions in relation to Cllr Darren Scully today. I understand he has tonight resigned as Mayor of Naas.
Cllr Scully made remarks which to my mind were tantamount to incitement to hatred, as he announced his policy of not engaging with constituents of a 'Black African' background.
As a result, I reported Cllr Scully's actions to An Garda Síochána for them to investigate.
I have received many messages of support through twitter, email and phone messages for my actions.
I have also received many messages condemning my actions, and supporting the views of Cllr Scully. A sample of those emailed messages, without names, can be seen below.
One Fine Gael member contacted me to congratulate me, a Labour member told me he is resigning from the party as a result of my actions.
When I first ran for election in 2004, it was the time of the controversial Citizenship Referendum. That referendum aroused some vile and poisonous attitudes at many doors that I knocked on and I vowed at that stage to challenge racism at every juncture in my political life.
As this issue is now in the hands of the Gardaí I now intend to return to the pressing issue of the upcoming budget and the reasons why I was elected to Dáil Éireann in the first place - to build a real Republic that we can be proud of.
E-mail 1:
Mr TD
Sadly Mr Scully spoke the truth come to our school in Dublin 15 to pick up our irish childern and you will see the ignorance we have imported. Can I now go to the garda station to report you and the labour party for the lies told to the Irish people to get elected. If you even bothered to look at this article and public opinion you may see that the vast majority support Mr Scully. Maybe you would be better off doing the job of looking after the interests of Irish people instead of this publicity stunt for these uninvited visitors. Well done Mr Scully at last a public figure saying what the public think. If we Irish open our mouths we are racict. God help Ireland and the way we are heading. Irish Citizen
Email 2
Darren Scully is dead right to step away from representing certain groups of people if they have accused him of racism. he should have reported them to the guards as this is clearly a racist tactic that certain groups use if they dont get there way...i have heard it myself on a number of occasions over the years being used and being said in a aggressive manner to the person that if they were white they would get what they wanted...and if you have reported darren scully to the guards then going on national newspapers and calling him a racist is Prejudicing any fair investigationand on another note have you resigned your teaching post or is it being kept open for you if and when you loose your TD`s seat
Email 3:
Dear sir, I would like to say to you that I believe that Darren Scully is a realist not a racist. You should be charged with wasting Garda Time, Why don't you find something useful to do with your time. Unlike him you must always say what you think is the populist thing to say. Actually you should be fired (of course not possible) for wasting state finances. Grow up
Email 4:
Mr Ó Ríordáin.
I write as a member if the Labour party.While I abhor the stupid comments made by the mayor Scully about dealing with blacks what upsets me more is your attempt to twist it in to a more sinister level; racisim. The ignorant comments by Mr Scully were not racist, they were free speech. Something you should know the difference between. There is something truly nasty in what you have to done or at least attempted to do. It is an insult to those who suffer racisim in this country.You have made me ashamed to be a labour party member and I will be resigning from the Labour party over this matter.
