LAST UPDATE | 6 Sep 2025

GARDAÍ ARE INVESTIGATING a second threat made against Tánaiste 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.

Harris 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 Harris’s family, a spokeswoman said: “An Garda Síochána does not comment on named individuals. A Garda Síochána is currently investigating this matter.”

In a statement issued this afternoon, Harris said “vile and horrific threats” were directed at a close family member late last night.

He said these threats against his family are having “deeply distressing consequences” and follow a “sinister” pattern with the motivation to intimidate him from public office.

“I have faced the rough and tumble of politics. I believe in robust debate, scrutiny, and challenge. It is a cornerstone of our democracy.

“But what I and my family have faced in recent weeks is not political debate. It is abuse. It is intimidation. It is behaviour that should never, ever be treated as normal. And no one is to blame except those choosing to abuse and make threats.”

Harris said that over the coming days and weeks he will consult with his party, government, and broader political colleagues about what action can be taken in the face of online intimidation.

“Someone has to call a halt. Protecting my family will remain my number one priority. I will be guided by them on the next steps.”

During the week, Harris said 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.”