Gardai investigate second threat in a week against Simon Harris’s family

Gardai are investigating a second threat made against Irish deputy premier Simon Harris’s family in the space of a week.

The incident comes after a woman was arrested and released from garda custody when a threat was made against the Fine Gael leader’s children.

Mr Harris, who is minister for foreign affairs and defence, has received threats before – including through social media and a phoned bomb threat.

Protests have also been held outside his home, where his wife and children live.

Asked about a fresh threat against Mr Harris’s family, a spokeswoman said: “An Garda Siochana does not comment on named individuals. A Garda Siochana is currently investigating this matter.”

Mr Harris said during the week that he would no longer maintain “a dignified silence” on the issue of threats against politicians and public representatives.

He said threats against politicians had become “somewhat normalised” and it should not be accepted that the online space was “the Wild West”.

“When you experience direct threats to your children, to their safety, it’s something I wouldn’t wish on anybody in this country,” he said.

“I fear one day we will wake up in this country and something will have gone wrong.

“It has to be taken extraordinarily seriously.”