A member of the Irish parliament has claimed he has received a death threat over his support for the proposed change to Ireland’s abortion laws.

Waterford based Independent TD John Halligan has told the Irish Times that he received the death threats after expressing his support for the bill in the Irish parliament.

Halligan told the paper that he had received an email warning him that his ‘days are numbered’ and that he should ‘check under your car’.

The Independent deputy spoke in the Irish parliament on Thursday during Leaders’ Questions.

He was critical of the Catholic Church for ‘attempting to interfere in the running of the State’.

He told the paper: “There have been several serious incidents of verbal abuse aimed at TDs (deputies).

“One has received a crown of thorns; another has been ambushed outside her home. TDs have been spat at. They have been threatened with having their homes burned down and their throats cut.”

The latest claim comes just days after Irish PM Enda Kenny said he had received letters written in blood calling him ‘a murderer’ because of the forthcoming Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill.

Kenny said: “I am now being branded by personnel around the country as being a murderer. I’m going to have on my soul the death of 20 million babies. I’m getting medals, scapulars, plastic foetuses, letters written in blood, telephone calls all over the system and it’s not confined to me.”

Halligan has confirmed that he will report the threat to police.

He added: “Threats to legislators, be they with violence or words, are a serious matter.”