Aontú leader says vacuum of information is a “petri dish” for misinformation, adding: “Censoring discussion on immigration does not make it disappear, it just drives it underground.”
Responding to controversy over the request by Kerry county councillors for details on the nationalities of those allocated social housing, Toibín said: “Government feels it should be gatekeepers of what information goes to citizens. In a liberal democracy, having a censorious attitude is wrong.”
“All information on housing should be made public. It is wrong elected representatives are not getting information about housing lists, that citizens are not getting information.
“This vacuum of information is a petri dish for the ne’er do wells, for misinformation around this.
“If we want to make sure we have an evidence based democracy, we need to make sure people have access to information. You cannot manage if you cannot measure. We cannot measure, if local authority and governments are withholding information.”
The Meath West TD noted councillors made the request to tackle rumours non-Irish people were mostly being allocated housing. They lacked the data to argue otherwise and asked the council to provide the breakdown.
He continued: “It’s not surprising the government doesn’t want information going to people. It feels it should be gatekeepers in relation to information going to citizens.
“I think in a liberal democracy, having a censorious attitude is wrong. Information is king. In terms of being able to make logical positive decisions for society. The lack of information is one of the driving forces in the increase in racism.
“I abhor racism. We need an honest and open discussion in this country in relation to immigration. Because if we don’t have that conversation, it does not disappear.
“It’s pushed underground and manipulated by the ne’er do wells. We can’t decide this information is too sensitive for citizens to be given.
“We need to be in a country where the colour of a person’s skin is of no more significance than the colour of their eyes
“What happened in Belfast last week was reprehensible. If you want to inject energy into misinformation, you keep information from people. A vacuum is a petri dish for misinformation. The government are the authors of that vacuum.”
