Digital media companies need to step up and stop their platforms being used to organise events that threaten public health, according to the Foreign Affairs Minister.

More than 20 people were arrested after anti-lockdown protesters launched fireworks at Gardaí on Dublin’s Grafton Street on Saturday.

Three Gardaí were injured during the incident with one taken to hospital.

Gardaí draw batons as an anti-lockdown protesters attempt to break through barriers at St Stephens Green in Dublin, 27-02-2021. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews

Speaking to Newstalk over the weekend, the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar called on social media platforms to take down “anything that incites violence” or encourages people to join activities that undermine the coronavirus response.

He is now due to write to companies based in Ireland to raise his concerns.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said companies need to do more.

“I think digital media companies need to do more in a number of areas,” he said. “Whether it is bullying, whether it is targeting people with hate speech or whether it is allowing their platforms to be used to facilitate efforts to undermine the State or create significant risk in the context of public health concerns.

“These are extraordinarily powerful organisations that make huge sums of money.

“They are welcome in Ireland and we provide a platform for global reach in many ways for many of these platforms but they do have a responsibility as well and Government needs to work with them to make sure they are following through on that responsibility.”

"Conspiracy theories"

He acknowledged that politicians “don’t always get things right” but insisted that the country’s elected representatives, “are trying to tell people the truth and we are trying to protect people and save lives through this pandemic.”

“We are working night and day to do that,” he said. “We are, of course, open to criticism and questioning all the time but some of the conspiracy theories that are being used to inspire hatred and anger and division, that drove the motivation behind the kind of thuggery we saw over the weekend that the Gardaí had to handle in a professional manner – but in really difficult circumstances – we have to call that our for what it is and hope that most right-thinking people reject it out of hand.

“These are people who are trying to recruit, sometimes vulnerable people, but people who are struggling with the pandemic because their businesses are not open; they may be stressed, many people are, this has been a very, very difficult year for so many people – but we have got to close this out now in the next few months.

“We can do that; we have a vaccination programme now that is very much up and running and accelerating and by mid-summer, the vast majority of people who want to be vaccinated will be vaccinated and we will be moving to a much better place in the context of this pandemic.”

Brexit checks

Minister Coveney joined the show to discuss the next key date in the Brexit process for Irish businesses.

From April 1st, businesses exporting food and animal products to the UK will face a range of new customs and regulatory checks.

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