Report of the Task Force on Safe Participation in Political Life and the UCD Report on the findings of the Survey on the Abuse and Harassment of Members of the Oireachtas and Political Staff published

The Task Force on Safe Participation in Political Life was set up in response to reports that an increasing level of abuse, including online abuse, harassment and intimidation is being experienced by those who participate in political life.

The consequences of abuse, as reflected in national and international studies, are far-reaching for the individuals who experience it and can act as a potential barrier to participation in political life and undermine the democratic process.

The Task Force met with a wide range of stakeholders and considered written submissions to inform its work, draw conclusions and arrive at the tangible recommendations contained in this Report.

From the evidence, the Task Force concludes that abuse in political life is prevalent, problematic and targeted disproportionately at women and minority groups. Online abuse is intensifying and becoming normalised, fuelled by the anonymity provided by digital platforms, and often driven by misogyny, sexism, racism and intolerance.

The Task Force concludes that given the potentially serious impact on democracy, and on diverse and inclusive representation, a strategic and coordinated approach is needed to address the issue.

The Report of the Taskforce contains 16 actionable recommendations addressed to various stakeholders from the Houses of the Oireachtas, Party Leaders, An Garda Síochana, Government Department and agencies and importantly social media.

These recommendations range from research requirements, security and safety, strategy co-ordination to address drivers of abuse, the role of political parties and social media.

Speaking on the launch of the Taskforce report, the Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said: “The Task Force was established in response to the reports of abuse, including on-line abuse, being experienced by those involved in political life and recently these issues have become more concerning."

​"The recommendations in the Report of the Task Force are wide-ranging and address government policy, security issues, social media and more. I want to use this opportunity to remind Members of the Houses and party leaders of our unique responsibility as parliamentarians, both individually and collectively, to lead by example in this area by championing respect in politics. Democracy must allow for debate, disagreement and different opinions however, when disagreement strays into abuse and intimidation, this stifles healthy debate and must be challenged."

"By engaging in civil and respectful political discourse we set the tone for wider political debate in society and demonstrate zero tolerance for abuse and intimidation."

"Political parties have a key role in upholding the values of equality and respect among their membership, in setting standards of behaviour and in providing support for those that experience abuse. During the forthcoming Local and European election campaigns, political parties should be mindful of the need to support all candidates to deal with challenges they may encounter and to report any incidences of abuse. Key to this support will be establishing reporting pathways for candidates and elected representatives.”

Speaking on the launch of the report, Chair of the Taskforce Noirín O’Sullivan said: I would like to thank the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach for their leadership and foresight in establishing the Task Force and the support throughout the process.”

“Political life is rewarding and fulfilling and participation needs to be protected and supported. The work of the Task Force was guided by its agreed Terms of Reference, and over the course of this process we met with a variety of people and organisations, including academics, NGOs, international bodies, government Departments and agencies to consider this issue. We also sought international input to consider how other jurisdictions are dealing with this issue.”

“The Report of the Task Force will be of interest to other parliaments who face the same challenges and may be a catalyst for wider discussion in finding solutions to issues that cross national boundaries.”

"The Task Force recommends that the Houses of the Oireachtas lead in coordinating a comprehensive and sustained response, in partnership with Government Departments and other relevant stakeholders, through the establishment and resourcing of a Senior Officials Oversight and Implementation Group to action the recommendations in this Report."

"To safeguard Members, the wider parliamentary community and the Leinster House environs, it is recommended that the Houses of the Oireachtas review and strengthen security arrangements and ensure mechanisms are put in place for enhanced cooperation and information sharing with An Garda Síochána (AGS)."

"Guided by international best practice, the Task Force recommends that the Houses of the Oireachtas establish and resource an opt-in social media monitoring service for Members, to monitor and report."

"The Task Force recommends that the existing Codes of Conduct under the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 for TDs and Senators be reviewed and updated to include provisions to address abuse, including online abuse, and discriminatory behaviours."

An Garda Síochána (AGS) has a key role in upholding the rule of law, protecting citizens’ rights and safeguarding those in political life. The Task Force makes recommendations regarding the need for a structured and coordinated intelligence-led approach by AGS in discharging its responsibilities, providing crime prevention advice and responding appropriately to reported incidents. Reporting should become the ‘norm’, with clear mechanisms established for this purpose and a ‘zero tolerance’ approach applied across the criminal justice system, political life and civil society.

The Task Force concludes that social media platforms and the regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, have critical roles to play in proactively addressing online abuse against politicians and political candidates. All social media platforms have a responsibility to take proactive measures to safeguard all users, including those in political life, and to ensure a safe space for civil political discourse. Furthermore, Coimisiún na Meán must fully utilise its powers to regulate social media platforms and to address inaction by social media platforms in responding to the problem of online abuse.

To augment the work of the Task Force, an academic survey of Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas and their staff was undertaken by Professor Eugenia Siapera, Director of the UCD Centre for Digital Policy and colleagues to give a clearer understanding of the extent and impact of the issue. The Task Force is very appreciative of the work of UCD and of the value of this work in supporting the recommendations.

A copy of the full research report is available on the Task Force webpage.

UCD distributed a quantitative survey to all 220 members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann and to 580 political staff in February 2024.

In total, 61 Members and 200 political staff completed the survey, representing a completion rate of around 28% and 34% respectively.

Photos from the event are available on the Oireachtas Flickr account. 

​Some key findings from the research are:

94% of Members & 72% of political staff who responded experienced abuse
Female Members experienced more sexual and sexist abuse
Abuse had negative impacts for victims, their families, and political participation
Issues of immigration and women's rights elicited the most abuse