Councillor speaks of relief after man identified for harassing up to 80 other councillors

Sarah Slater

A female councillor who was subjected to disturbing and harassing phone calls while pregnant and in labour has said “no woman should face this level of abuse” as the alleged perpetrator has now been identified by gardaí.

Wexford-based Sinn Féin councillor Aoife Rose O’Brien was one of up to 80 female councillors across the country who have been subjected to harassing phone calls since the start of July this year from a blocked number.

A search has been carried out by gardai and they seized a number of mobile phones and other media devices. Garda investigations into the matter are continuing

It has also prompted renewed concerns around anonymous phone calls and the protections available to elected representatives who are targeted while carrying out their public duties.

Speaking from her home Cllr O’Brien explained that she is “relieved” to know that the perpetrator behind the harassing calls which she myself and her fellow female councillors have been receiving “has been caught”. She received up to 30 of these phone calls daily. The calls were made at any time of the day and night.

Cllr O’Brien continued: “I have been subjected to death threats but these phone calls really did get to me. I was subjected to them every day since early July. I was at a vulnerable and important stage of my life as I was pregnant and then eventually in labour when all I really wanted to do was focus on my family and trying to stay stress-free.

“For the final 12 days of my pregnancy, and literally during my labour, I had to endure calls that no person should ever receive; a man stating he had developed pedophilia and wanted to be challenged, putting it lightly. The content of his calls were deeply disturbing and upsetting.

“When the calls started, I was in a way prepared as I had been in contact with other colleagues who were receiving them. The Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) had also been advising us about these types of phone calls but I didn’t think I would be targeted.”

She described the alleged male perpetrator as having “a very, very calm voice”.

The councillor added: “He used a false name and address but did give correct details about places and topics I knew about. This man really did his homework. He said he had 241 images of young girls on his (electronic) device.

“Thankfully my partner, who is also a councillor, recorded some of the calls but it’s not something anyone wants to be listening to, especially when it comes to anyone’s mental state,’ said the chair of the mental health working group in Wexford.

“My partner also answered many of these phone calls being made to my phone. As a councillor, I have to take phone calls; I can’t just stop taking them, but what has happened to me has made me hypervigilant.

"These types of phone calls are a reflection of our society, and it’s a sad reflection, being honest about it. We all need to take a look at our lives and the use of social media.”

For the 34-year-old who was elected to her role for the first time two years ago, she feels the added burden of being a female and being “subjected to such harassment compared to male colleagues”.

Gardaí have advised Cllr O’Brien that a suspect has been identified, a search has been carried out, and a number of phones and other media devices have been seized.

“This is the difficult end of my role, particularly as a female. Private or blocked phone numbers, in my opinion, shouldn't be allowed.”

She thanked gardaí for their work as part of the ongoing investigation, taking her statement, and for appointing a liaison officer to deal with the matter.

The Association of Irish Local Government said it is seriously concerned that female elected members from across the political spectrum have been targeted by persistent and distressing harassment.

"To date, AILG has received reports only from female councillors, indicating that this behaviour appears to be a targeted campaign of harassment against women serving in local government," the organisation said.

As a result of such reported incidents, AILG said it had contacted all 959 female councillors, urging them to prioritise their safety.

In a statement gardai added that the matter is being investigated at national level by An Garda Síochána’s Special Detective Unit.

“Gardaí have carried out a search at a premises in relation to the investigation. A number of items were seized during this search and will be sent for further forensic analysis.

“Any threats against elected representatives or political candidates are taken seriously and will be investigated.”

Before the local and European elections in 2024, An Garda Síochána appointed Liaison Inspectors in each division nationwide to help keep all those participating in political life safe.

“Our Garda Divisional Crime Prevention Officers are based around the country to help on any matter of personal safety and are available to take a report of any incident involving elected representatives,” the statement continued.

Crime Prevention Officers can be contacted by contacting any Garda station.

Any public representative who may experience harassment or may be the victim of any crime is advised to report this to gardaí.

In 2024, An Garda Síochána, Women for Election and See Her Elected launched a safety guide for female election candidates that provides important guidance and advice on how best they can protect themselves and their election teams while out canvassing and engaging within the community. It further details how to safely navigate their use of online platforms and social media sites.

In the same year, An Garda Síochána and Coimisiún na Meán introduced a guide to online safety for election candidates.