Limerick councillor's home addresses removed from website amid safety fears
THE PRIVATE postal addresses of councillors have been removed from Limerick's local authority website amid fears over the safety of politicians.
Councils across the country normally publish at a minimum, the name, telephone number and postal address of each member online. But here in Limerick, only the first two of these are now visible as concerns grow for the welfare of councillors.
“It’s definitely the most unsafe time I’ve felt in politics,” said councillor Daniel Butler.
Although a council spokesperson insisted the addresses were removed following an “internal GDPR review” by staff, several members have confirmed to this newspaper they contacted local authority bosses to seek the erasure of their home address.
GDPR refers to General Data Protection Regulation, a set of new European-wide laws brought in to protect personal information in 2018.
One of the people who sought to have her own address removed is councillor Sarah Kiely.
She said: “There's definitely been a shift in awareness about our safety and the safety of our families. In a time when it appears anyone is fair game, it doesn't matter who you are or what you are. People think they can say or do what they want and there are no consequences.”
She also pointed out: “You cannot look up the (home) address of your GP or dentist and arrive to their front door. So why should you be allowed to arrive at your local politician’s front door?”
Councillor Kiely says it’s regretful that members feel forced to remove their addresses.
“It is, but it’s necessary for safety in this day and age. People are very contactable, and sometimes we need to take a step back and question what information it is we are putting out,” she said.
There have been a number of high-profile incidents in recent weeks and years where politicians have found themselves in danger.
A Dublin-based councillor, Hugh Lewis had a rock thrown at his family home with a note warning him to “stop supporting refugees”.
Protesters have in the past gathered outside the home of Wicklow TD and government minister Simon Harris.
In 2019, Independent councillor Fergus Kilcoyne was forced to contact the gardai after masked thugs attacked his own home in Patrickswell.
It left his wife and children “traumatised” and “fearing for their lives”.
Sinn Fein's City North councillor Sharon Benson said the offices of some of her Dail colleagues around the country have been targetted.
“But we don't have offices as councillors. It’s our home address up there and that’s the thing available to people. If they are going to come and protest, they will do this at your home.”
Councillor Butler who has raised the issue with his representative union, said: “It’s a growing issue for councillors where there are safety concerns and there are reported instances of people coming to their homes.”
“If you see protests now, they seem a lot more aggressive. The regard in which politicians are held is greatly diminished,” he said.
The councillors mentioned up to now in this article all actively sought the removal of their home addresses from online.
Labour councillor Conor Sheehan has not felt the need to do this.
But he does believe each member should be asked whether they want their address viewable on council websites.
“I have no specific issues personally with people knowing where I live. I do have an issue with people protesting outside politicians’ homes. We live in a climate now, with the rise of coordinated far right protests, it is not just the politicians who may live in that home - spouses, kids, parents who didn't choose to be in the public eye.”
Green Party Dublin TD Patrick Costello last week called for the addresses of politicians on ballot papers to be made private due to safety threats.
Councillor Sheahan says ahead of the local election next summer, a more generalised, less-specific address should be used on voting slips to demonstrate whether a candidate lives in a constituency.