Labour TD opens up about increased homophobic abuse since becoming a politician
Labour TD Conor Sheehan has admitted he would not feel comfortable holding a loved one's or partner's hand in any Irish city due to increased toxicity towards members of the LGBT community.
He made the comments just hours after the Labour Party's event to celebrate 10 years since the marriage equality referendum passed had to be hastily moved to a different venue.
The party suggested there had been "far right threats" and a protest planned outside the event on Monday evening.
Speaking in Leinster House on Tuesday morning, Senator Laura Harmon stated that the original venue pulled out because it was "worried about the health and safety of their staff". Gardaí later advised Labour to move venues.
Conor Sheehan, the party's TD in Limerick city, stated that he has been subjected to increased levels of homophobic abuse since becoming a public representative.
He said: "The last couple of years have become more uncertain and more unsafe and that's something that we need to reflect upon as a society as we move forward.
"I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable walking around Dublin city or any city in Ireland holding the hand of a loved one, of a partner or whatever.
"I don't think we were at this juncture 10 years ago. I think that we need to reflect upon the hope and the optimism that the marriage equality referendum brought to us and reflect better upon that spirit.
"Things have become really, really toxic in the last couple of years for LGBT people and it's something I know I've felt myself, especially since entering public life.
"The amount of homophobic abuse I get from time to time is just absolutely unbelievable.
"It doesn't particularly bother me, because I'm fairly resilient. But I often think, were I not so resilient, I don't actually know what I would do."
Mr Sheehan later said that the toxicity towards LGBT people has been "creeping in for the last couple of years" and it "get worse with each passing year."
He further suggested that there are groups of people in Europe and in the US trying to "unpick" what he described as "hard won fights".
Deputy Sheehan added: "We live in an open, tolerant, compassionate society. The vast, vast majority of Irish people are open, tolerant and compassionate.
"I don't want to live in a society where any sort of hate, regardless of who it's directed towards, becomes tolerated."
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