Man charged after alleged assault on Roderic O’Gorman during election canvass

A man has been charged to court after an alleged assault on Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman while he was on an election canvass.

The incident happened in Mr O’Gorman’s Dublin West constituency on Saturday.

A man in his 30s was arrested and has been charged. He is due before Blanchardstown District Court on Monday.

Mr O’Gorman said he was grateful to a Garda protection officer who he said intervened in the incident.

The Minister for Children, who said he had provided a statement to gardai, said the “alarming incident” had marred an otherwise positive canvass.

“I have been canvassing in Dublin West for more than 20 years,” he said. “It’s my home. Meeting people and chatting through the issues has been and always will be at the heart of my work as a public representative.”

Speaking more generally, Mr O’Gorman said he was concerned about an increase in “abuse and threats” politicians have been facing in recent weeks.

He also voiced concern about “rampant misinformation” on social media that he said was “driving extreme views”.