Tánaiste calls for societal issues to be addressed in wake of horror M9 crash

By Cate McCurry, Press Association

There has been a “breakdown in respect for authority” and the “value of life”, the Tánaiste has said, as he spoke about the horror crash in Co Kildare in which five teenagers were killed.

Simon Harris said there are deep societal issues which need to be examined, saying it is multifaceted and crosses social media, government, the criminal justice system and road safety issues.

Harris made the comments as the final funeral for the five young people killed on the M9 motorway took place on Tuesday.

The teenagers died after the car they were travelling in was driven the wrong way down motorway and was involved in a head-on collision with another car last weekend.

They were Joe Carthy, Jack Kennedy, Alex McCarthy, Jeremy O’Brien and Kamil Pustkowski.

A child and three women from the same family, who were in the other car, are being treated for serious injuries in hospital.

The crash has raised issues about online videos of dangerous driving, and how social media companies deals with illegal content.

Last week, TikTok declined to publicly appear before an Oireachtas committee, with the social media giant instead offering a private briefing to lawmakers.

Harris said it has been an “extraordinarily painful” August, citing the horrific crash.

He added: “The first thing I want to say is social media companies have a lot to answer for in relation to this.

“The platforming of illegal of activity, the amplification of that illegal activity, the culture around almost encouraging for want of a better phrase copycat activity of illegal activity.

“Algorithms can spread toxicity, division, hatred.

“So there are real and legitimate issues that social media companies need to answer for.

We're seeing a lack of respect for the value of your own life. We're seeing a lack of respect and understanding of the value of human life, the lives of others

“The era of self-regulation is over.

“There are real and legitimate issues here and I would encourage all the social media companies to cooperate with their own national parliament, the Dáil, and indeed any others that require their assistance to.

“But, having said that and having been crystal clear on the responsibilities of social media companies and their need to step up to and live up to them, there is a broader issue here.

“It’s kind of hard to find the words, but there’s a multifaceted issue here.

“It’s diversion, criminal justice system, road safety in general.

“There’s also another issue here, which is that we are now seeing almost the breakdown of authority, or any respect for authority in society on occasion.

“We’re seeing a lack of respect for the value of your own life.

“We’re seeing a lack of respect and understanding of the value of human life, the lives of others.

“I think there’s a lot to unpack in terms of what’s happened this August, and I’m not sure we can do it in a knee jerk fashion or a sound bite or a clip doesn’t do this issue justice.

“There is a need to consider what’s going on in society more broadly.

“There’s a broader issue here.

“A breakdown in respect for authority and society, but also respect for the value of your own life.

“I think for government, some of it’s for government, some of it’s broader society, I think we need to dig deep here to work out what is the best way to surface these issues and to examine them in a way that isn’t just knee-jerky or responding to today’s news cycle and then not return to it.

“There’s a deeper thing here that requires an examination.”