A dissident republican group has been told to “get off the backs of communities” after it stopped an Irish-medium primary school hosting a PSNI talk on internet safety.
SDLP Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone has said nothing can be more important than keeping children safe online.
Specialist police officers had been due to speak to pupils at Gaelscoil Eoghain in Cookstown on Monday to offer tips on how to protect themselves online.
The event forms part of a wider effort by the PSNI to increase internet awareness among children in the wake of the Alexander McCartney case.
The 26-year-old from Newry was jailed for 20 years earlier this month after being convicted of dozens of online offences, including blackmail, child sex abuse and the manslaughter of Cimarron Thomas.
But the internet safety seminar at Gaelscoil Eoghain, which would have helped protect against this, has been axed following complaints from Saoradh — the political wing of the New IRA.
Mid Ulster MLA Mr McGlone said: “If we have learned anything from the coverage of the horrific crimes of Alexander McCartney, it’s that we need to do more to teach children about the dangers online and to equip them with the tools to keep them safe.
“This workshop from the PSNI at Gaelscoil Eoghain could not have been more timely.
“Instead of children getting this important lesson, we have now had an intervention from Saoradh, a group with no mandate that have no role to play when it comes to educating children.
“They would be better off educating themselves, getting off the backs of communities and abandoning their outdated and futile brand of politics that has been repeatedly reject by people here.”
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SDLP Cookstown Councillor Kerri Martin said: “It’s deeply concerning that this group thinks they can interfere in an important initiative like this.
“Any parent that has concerns should be able to raise them with the school, and it’s sinister that an event intended to keep our children safe has been used in this way.
“The PSNI are the experts on matters around online safety and they are best equipped to deliver this workshop and keep our children safe. Nothing is more important than that.”
In a message posted to the parents of pupils, school principal Caitríona Uí Dhoibhlin had said: “Further to today’s email, the internet safety workshop for Rang (class) 7 pupils with the PSNI on Monday has been postponed”.
Saoradh had welcomed the event being called off.
“Following a number of discussions, Saoradh in conjunction with parents of children that attend Gaelscoil Eoghain penned a letter outlining some of the concerns raised,” it said.
“It is our view that schools shouldn’t be used as a political tool in the ever-changing political landscape, particularly a gaelscoil.
“The Irish language has suffered, and continues to suffer, under partition and colonialism and it is not fair or right that a welcome should be given to crown force terrorists that support this system.”