Anti Islam Leaflets Targetting Children In New Ross Condemned

A local politician has hit out at sectarian leaflets being left for children to pick up in New Ross.

Independent John Dwyer says notes containing the phrase Ireland Says No To Islam are being deliberately left outside houses where Muslim children live.

Councillors at this week's meeting of the New Ross Municipal District agreed to condemn the practice.

Councillor Dwyer says this was the act of cowards:

"These children were very very upset and went home to ask their mother 'are we not welcome in Ireland?'

"I think it's disgraceful that anyone would target young children like this and it needs to be condemned.

"Whatever group or whoever is doing this needs to stop it."

Councillor Dwyer says it's very clear this was an orchestrated and deliberate act on the part of people who don't represent New Ross:

"It certainly appears to be targeting estates where there would be Muslim children living there.

"They're not being put through letterboxes or on car windscreens, these are being distributed on footpaths where children can pick them up and that's disgraceful."

Officials from the New Ross Municipal District say they will respond to the leaflets after the issue was raised at this week's meeting.

Councillor Dwyer says using leaflets in this way is disgusting:

"People can have concerns about mass migration into Ireland, that's a different thing altogether.

"What we're talking about here are small groups or individuals targeting children which is wrong and should never happen."

Councillor Dwyer says we have seen these kinds of political views being defeated time and time again at the ballot box and he says people with these opinions should use the political system to see if this is what people want.

"Stand for election if that's what you feel, if you feel your message has any broad support. 

"I'd certainly welcome contesting an election against people with such views."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.