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28th Apr 2019

Fingal Battalion protest group once again target home of Simon Harris

Dave Hanratty

Simon Harris protest Fingal Battalion

It is the second time that the group has gathered outside the home of the Minister for Health in order to protest.

In February, protestors assembled in front of the house of Minister for Health Simon Harris.

It is believed that Harris was inside his Wicklow home with his wife and their newborn baby, who was less than four weeks old at the time.

The group, which calls itself the Fingal Battalion Direct Action Group, posted a statement on their page outlining their purpose, labelling Harris unqualified for his job and demanding change at the highest level of Irish government.

Later that month, the same group gathered at the home of Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton’s home, announcing that they had “had enough of this failed free state.”

Their actions have been widely criticised, but the group’s ‘Bring It To Their Doors’ mantra continues.

On Sunday (28 April), members of the Fingal Battalion returned to the home of Simon Harris, this time to protest the Minister’s opposition to fake military parades.

Harris heavily criticised the march that took place in Dublin city centre by Republican group Saoradh in the wake of Lyra McKee’s murder, condemning the actions as “repulsive, distasteful and sickening.”

Mr Harris was among the most vocal critics of the Easter parades by men and women who marched down O’Connell Street in the days after Lyra McKee’s murder.

“Today we returned to failed health minister Simon Harris,” began a statement posted on Facebook.

“Since last been here (sic), the health care in Ireland has been constantly (sic) headlines in the paper due to lack of facilities and the overwhelming cost of the new children’s hospital.

“Simon also slatted (sic) people who commemorated our fallen hero’s (sic) but Simon needs to know he would never be commemorated in this country as he’s one of Ireland’s biggest embarrassments. Bring it to their doors.”

A longer version of the statement, as read by a spokeswoman – the only visible member of the group at today’s protest – can be viewed below.

Gardaí have attended the scene.

It is understood that Harris was present at his home at the time of this latest protest.

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