Taoiseach "will never be deterred" following threats against family

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he "will never be deterred" from doing his job after threats were made against him and his family on social media over the weekend.

Gardaí say they became aware of the threat, which made reference to knives and the Wicklow Mountains, on Instagram on Saturday night, August 3.

They have described it as "dark and sinister" and a criminal investigation has been launched.

In a statement this Tuesday, Mr Harris said that he does not "comment on matters relating to my personal security or that of my family but more broadly I do want to make a few comments on trends we have been seeing".

"Politicians have become a regular target, and it is on the brink of being viewed as acceptable or a normal part of the job. It is not acceptable. I get up every day and go to work and work as hard as I can.

Constant efforts to target us, demean us or dehumanise us should never be accepted, never be normalised, and always called out," the Taoiseach continued.

"I will never be deterred from doing my job as Taoiseach."

"There can be no hiding place for anyone seeking to threaten, attack or harm people or to incite others to do so," he said.

Mr Harris thanked An Garda Síochána for their response, and also thanked people around Ireland "for their kindness and decency - it means the world to me and my family".

Instagram, where the threat was originally posted, have not commented on the matter.

Gardaí said they requested that the social meida site remove the post on Saturday but that it remained up over the bank holiday Sunday and Monday where it was widely viewed, screenshotted and recirculated.

The account that originally posted the threat has since been made private, and it is unclear yet whether the post has been removed.

It is the second ongoing garda investigation into threats made against the Taoiseach, who are also investigating a bomb threat made to Mr Harris' home in Wicklow six weeks ago.