Burke family disrupt Taoiseach Simon Harris canvassing in Castlebar as event cancelled due to protests

A scheduled press conference with Minister McEntee and MEP Maria Walsh was cancelled amid concerns about a potential security risk posed to them.

However, Taoiseach Harris met with journalists in a different location and said he was undeterred.

Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny was accosted in the street and filmed by a woman shouting about migration in Market Square, Castlebar, Co Mayo.

The former Taoiseach held his own phone up and calmly asked the irate woman what she understood about the issue.

The woman was accompanied by local election candidate Stephen Kerr, founder of the online media outlet The Irish Inquiry, who is an outspoken anti-migration activist.

The couple then accosted waiting journalists on topics ranging from child sex trafficking to poor living conditions of migrants.

Members of Enoch Burke family also caused chaotic scenes as the Taoiseach, Minister McEntee and Maria Walsh MEP and local election candidates attempted to canvassin the town centre.

Sean Burke ran alongside the group of politicians and shouted about his son Enoch who has spent the past year in prison due to his failure to purge his contempt of court.

Mr Burke was jailed for a second time last September for refusing to give an undertaking to abide by a High Court order to stay away from the school where he worked.

Mr Harris continued to cheerfully greet locals and at one stage said “I’m sorry for this rude man” as Sean Burke continued to shout.

Taoiseach Harris was in Mayo to officially open a memorial park for Detective Colm Horkan in his hometown of Charlestown.

Asked about a Sunday Independent poll which showed Fine Gael rose in popularity since he took over as leader, the Taoiseach said the only poll that mattered was next Friday’s local and European election.

He said he wanted to Fine Gael members to “not pay any attention to polls and keep the eye on the fact polls will open on Friday.”

Despite rising popularity, the Taoiseach said he has not reconsidered the timing of the next general election and intends for this government to run it’s full term to March 2025.

“The position in terms of the next general election certainly hasn’t changed. This government has a lot of work to do.”

Asked about the incidents in Castlebar, the Taoiseach said Sean Burke “clearly didn’t understand how the constitution works”.

“We live in a country where the court and government are separate, and people need to abide by rules of the court.

“It would be entirely inappropriate for me as Taoiseach to comment on a decision of the court. And anyone who expects the Taoiseach to do that clearly doesn’t understand how the constitution works.

“Protest has an important role to play in any democracy. I have been protested at, and I have been on protests, during my political career. There is a difference between protest and an attempt to significantly disrupt.

“I think people know about me it takes an awful lot to disrupt my energy and I continued to enjoy talking to people in Castlebar, calling into cafes and shops getting out the message.

“I don’t think we should allow a small number of people to say we have changed as a people.

“I’m out nearly every day meeting people in an unorganised manner walking into cafes, businesses restaurants and the streets talking to people and my overwhelming opinion of Irish people is decency.

“There is an element, and it is a small element, but they like to shout and amplify but they are small in number.

“And we have laws and it’s important those laws are enforced and the gardai need to enforce those laws.

“We have seen some particular upsetting scenes in recent weeks, and I expect the full rigours of the law.

“I don’t want to single out any particular concern, but I do think there is a toxicity at the moment in public life that is being fuelled by a small number of people.”

Fine Gael Councillor Ger Deere described the scenes witnessed in Castlebar as “deeply upsetting and shocking.”

“It is shameful what happened here today,” he said.