GREEN PARTY LEADER Roderic O’Gorman has said his home is “like a fortress” after he was assaulted while campaigning.

On 2 November last, the then Minister for Children was canvassing in Blanchardstown when he was assaulted and verbally abused.

Salesman Karl Ronan, 45, of Erris Square, Waterville in Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to assaulting Roderic O’Gorman, threatening and abusive behaviour and damaging his clipboard.

Judge David McHugh had described Ronan’s actions as “appalling”, “deliberate”, and “homophobic, it would appear”.

Separately, O’Gorman said last year that a man threatened to kill him while he was having coffee with his husband and that he has repeatedly faced homophobic abuse.

O’Gorman was speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland ahead of his party’s think-in later today and was asked about the impact these incidents had on him.

While O’Gorman said he didn’t consider leaving politics, he added that he “had to dramatically change my life”.

“Our house is like a fortress now at this stage, in terms of electric gates, five cameras, alarms,” said O’Gorman.

He added: “While I was a minister, you live in this bubble – and I’m very grateful to the dedicated gardaí and local gardaí in Blanchardstown, who are absolutely fantastic – but it does dramatically change your life.

“I’ve always made the point that in Ireland, politicians are accessible.

“We’re different to politicians in the continent where there’s a huge gap.”

O’Gorman added that he continued to canvass “every week” but that it was “different” following the assault.

Meanwhile, O’Gorman said the Green Party still has an opportunity to “hold government to account” through Senator Malcolm Noonan and the party’s 23 councillors.

“We’ve had 231 days since the since the government was formed, and very little done.

“We’ve had 10 pieces of legislation passed through the Oireachtas – the same time in the in the last Dáil , we has 27 different bills, so I’m arguing it’s a do-nothing government.

“The only thing they’re showing any enthusiasm for is ripping up the policy measures that the Green Party achieved in the last Dáil.”

He added that the Green Party is in the “process of rebuilding” and that people “recognise the centrality the Green Party placed on the environment over the last four years, and it’s not happening with this new government”.