Gerard P. Craughwell: Confronts X Impersonation and Workplace Bullies
Gerard P. Craughwell addresses the Dáil about being impersonated on X and about seven years of workplace bullying he says he confronted. He urges social media platforms and employers to take responsibility and for people to stand up to bullies.
Impersonation on X
Gerard P. Craughwell describes shutting down his X account and then discovering an account using the name G Crockwell still tweeting. He says he complained and contrasts Xs inaction with Facebook, which removed a previous impersonation within hours.
Bullying in the workplace
Speaking directly to a class of students, Craughwell warns that bullies thrive when people allow them to, calling on organisations to confront abusive behaviour. He argues bullies are weak and target those who are confident and excellent at their work.
Personal testimony and consequences
Craughwell recounts living for seven years in a rented office separate from colleagues while he endured sustained bullying. He says fighting back was his therapy and now regards standing up as a badge of honour.
Recognition and final point
He applauds a young woman mentioned in the Irish Independent and reiterates that companies and institutions have an obligation to protect citizens and employees from harm caused by impersonation and bullying.
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Go raibh maith agat, Cathairleach. I too want to be associated with the comments on Senator Flynn. It might be of interest for you to know that shortly after I shut down my X account, somebody has appeared on X as G Crockwell and continues to tweet on that platform, despite the fact that I have already complained that my name is being used. These companies have an obligation to ordinary citizens, never mind members of the Oireachtas or anywhere else, and I have complained and I am still complaining. I complained when I was personated on Facebook and within hours Facebook acted to stop it. It didn't happen on Twitter, and it's not happening on X. I think they actually drive revenue by destroying people. That's what I think. I think they're a horrible organisation. I'd have nothing to do with them. I want to talk today very briefly on bullying in the workplace, and I'm glad to see a class of students here because they need to know that bullies have no place in our society, and bullies only thrive when people allow them to thrive. A bully needs to be confronted, not just by the victim, or we don't call them victims, we call them targets, right? Because once you confront a bully, he or she will move their sights onto another target, because essentially bullies are weak people who lack confidence in themselves, and they only ever attack a person who actually is great at what they do, who is confident in what they do, who is excellent at what they do, and the bully is actually jealous of who and what you are. So don't ever let a bully take over, and there's an excellent story today I stood up to my workplace bully, everyone tells me not to, but fighting back was my therapy. I fought back personally for seven years. Seven years I lived in an office on my own, rented for me by my college outside the building that where all of the staff were, and a classroom that was rented outside the school so as I could teach my classes. People would look at a big guy like me and say you surely couldn't be bullied, man of your size, but yes, seven years of my life. But I don't carry it with me, I now see it as a badge of honor, because I stood up. So I'm saying to people today, there is no place for bullies in any workplace, and companies need to stand up and confront bullies that exist within their organisation. Fair play to the young woman mentioned in the Irish Independent today. Thank you.
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