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KERRY TD Michael Healy-Rae demanded Government action against anonymous online abuse after "hurtful" and "derogatory" comments were made about his late mother Julie.

The politician gave a passionate speech in the Dail yesterday as he slammed social media companies for their failure to prevent the spread of false information on their platforms. 

Michael Healy-Rae demanded the Government take action to fight online abuse
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Michael Healy-Rae demanded the Government take action to fight online abuseCredit: MAXWELLS DUBLIN

The Kerry rep said it was not acceptable that people can spout lies on online platforms without any repercussions.

Deputy Healy-Rae said it was "becoming acceptable in the Ireland of today that people can go on social media platforms and say whatever they like about whomever they like".

He continued: "It can be members of An Garda Siochana or politicians, national or local.

"This is just because a person will sit in a car and put a mobile phone like this godforsaken stupid thing in front of them and go online and say whatever they like. 

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"Thousands of people will then come along and be as good as swallowing it up and believing it.

"People doing this can say outrageous and hurtful things. They can attack people's families. They can attack individuals."

He added: "People can say whatever the hell they like about me because it will not worry me or take one minute out of my head space. It will not bother me.

"I do not like it when they attack my family because they are my family. When they attack my friends, I do not like that."

The Kerry native further fumed when he discussed an incident online which targeted his late mother, who died in 2015, who he described as a "highly respectable woman".

Addressing Taoiseach Simon Harris, he said: "She could speak seven languages. She never said anything bad about any human being. She supported all of us in every way she possibly could. She was a nice lady.

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"When I saw one night her image being used in a derogatory way and in a political way, that pushed it over the line for me."

He then asked the Taoiseach "what is going to happen" to social media firms that allow this behaviour to persist.

Responding, Fine Gael leader Harris said the use of Healy-Rae's mum was "utterly despicable and reprehensible". 

He added that online safety "is a key priority" for the Government and that Coimisiun na Mean had published a new online safety framework which aims to "hold platforms to account" and will also "ensure that we significantly reduce harmful content online".

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