Garda Special Detective Unit investigating bomb threat against home of Taoiseach Simon Harris

Gardaí are investigating a bomb threat made against the Co Wicklow home of Taoiseach Simon Harris on Wednesday evening. The investigation is being led by the Garda Special Detective Unit, which is the State’s counter-terrorism investigative unit.

The Irish Times understands that an anonymous caller rang a Samaritans helpline, shortly before 6pm, and claimed that there was an explosive device at the Harris family home. The alarm was immediately raised by the organisation.

Gardaí attended Mr Harris’ home in Greystones. No device was found during a search of the property.

It is understood Mr Harris was in the Dáil at the time, but his wife and children were at home. They were not evacuated during the search.

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Garda sources said while it was unclear at this point whether the threat came from any credible group, the origins of the call are under investigation.

A spokesman for the Taoiseach said his office had no comment to make on the matter. A source close to Mr Harris said his family were “all okay”, but added that the incident was “outrageous”.

A spokesman for the Garda said the force “does not comment on security matters relating to Government Ministers or any elected representatives”.

The incident is the latest in a string of threats made against politicians and their families in recent months.

The husband and two children of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee had to be evacuated from their home following two hoax bomb threats in April.

The bomb threats were made in separate phone calls, one to the Samaritans charity, before gardaí removed her husband Paul Hickey and their two boys, aged two and one, from their home in Co Meath.

Ms McEntee was not at home at the time, but gardaí removed the three occupants out and the Special Detective Unit conducted a search of the house. Nothing was found there.

Speaking about that incident at the time, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the bomb scare was “disgusting”.

Sinn Féin TD Donnchada Ó'Laoghaire said the bomb scare against Ms McEntee was “appalling”.

He added: “Nothing, absolutely nothing, can justify this, or the worry it would have caused her, her husband, and two small children. There’s no excuse under the sun.”

Earlier this year, a convicted rapist who made a hoax bomb threat to Ms McEntee’s home from the Midlands Prison was told he would spend an additional two years in prison.

Michael Murray (54), formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, was found guilty of one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7th, 2021.

He also made the call through the Samaritans.

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