Politics

‘I have young children, I have a wife’: Taoiseach says bomb hoax at his home intended to ‘intimidate and upset’

Simon Harris was asked if he would have to move or if he intended to stay in his home and he said: ‘I’m staying in my home’

The Taoiseach says that threats against his family "cannot continue" after a hoax bomb threat was made on his home. Video: European Council
Pat Leahy
Thu Jun 27 2024 - 13:25

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that a bomb hoax at his house was intended to “intimidate and upset” his family, describing the events last night as an “unacceptable situation”.

Speaking at he entered a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, Mr Harris said: “I don’t really wish to comment on it other than to say obviously this is clearly unacceptable situation. Even the word hoax I’m not sure is a fair word as I’ve no doubt these things are done to intimidate and upset. I have young children, I have a wife,” he said, “and it’s a really unacceptable situation.”

Mr Harris also said that when people turn up outside it his house it should not be described in media reports as a “protest”.

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“I do think, and I say this really respectfully, that I think that all of us in our discourse including media needs to reflect on how we sometimes comment on these matters. You know, if masked men turned up outside your house, it wouldn’t be described as protest. It’s not protest if it happens outside my house either,” Mr Harris said.

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Asked if he would have to move or if he intended to stay in his home, he said: “I’m staying in my home.”

Pat Leahy

Pat Leahy

Pat Leahy is Political Editor of The Irish Times