by Alan Jacques
EDUCATION Minister Jan O’Sullivan has been the victim of online abuse with supporters of the ‘We Won’t Pay’ anti-water charges campaign referring to her on Facebook as a “f***ing idiot”, a “real bitch” and a “parasite”.
A post on the ‘We Won’t Pay the water tax – Limerick’ community Facebook page titled “Labour are feeling the pressure”, claimed that Minister O’Sullivan confronted activists outside the Grove Island shopping centre last Friday.
According to water charges protesters, the Minister then spent the next half an hour going into each shop complaining to the staff, before returning “visibly flustered to tell the activists that she would be making an official complaint”.
“Wish I was there would of thrown her under a bus scumbag bitch,” one man commented on the Limerick ‘We Won’t Pay’ Facebook page. “Jan needs a good ride,” said another.
While the Minister was then scurrilously referred to by someone else on We Won’t Pay’s Limerick Facebook account as a “f***ing champagne socialist”.
The remarks were not removed from Facebook until Monday afternoon. The comments have since been strongly condemned by members of the public and local politicians.
“It says more about the people that put it up than it does about me,” she said.
The Minister admitted that she had words with a female We Won’t Pay activist last Friday while shopping at Supervalu in Grove Island.
“She was in the carpark and had a megaphone. I was coming out with my shopping at the time as were other people. I felt it was intrusive to shoppers and I wanted to find out if the woman had permission to be in the carpark,” Minister O’Sullivan explained.
When contacted by the Limerick Post about the Facebook comments, Anti Austerity Alliance councillor Cian Prendiville responded, “The ‘We Won’t Pay the Water Tax – Limerick’ Facebook page completely opposes personalised or sexist insults. As with any Facebook page, people occasionally post offensive comments, which we remove.”
Following the removal of the comments from the social media site, Socialist TD Ruth Coppinger posted, “Can people criticise Jan O’Sullivan without resorting to sexism and offensive insults. It undermines our campaign and plays into the negative image of us that the media and government likes to portray.”
Fianna Fail TD Willie O’Dea, told the Limerick Post that he believes that personal attacks on Minister O’Sullivan are completely inappropriate.
“I know people are frustrated because many in the Labour Party made careers opposing water charges, but I still wouldn’t condone this type of behaviour. The ballot box is the place to express your opinion on any politician or party,” said Deputy O’Dea.
Labour Party councillor for City West, Joe Leddin, pointed out that politics is about campaigning on issues of importance to people while at the same time respecting the rights and views of others.
“I would be concerned for our future if I though for one minute that those who portray such vicious sentiments towards other people consider themselves part of our democratic system.
“One only has to look at the conflict and loss of life in some middle eastern countries caused by a lack of respect, tolerance and a failure to appreciate the value and potential of true democracy,” he said.
