Simon Harris doing "very best to get on with job" after family threats

Simon Harris has admitted that he is having a "pretty rotten time" after a series of threats were made against him and his family.

The Tánaiste [Deputy leader] is doing his "very best to get on with my job" but himself and his family cannot ignore the threats made against them.

Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, Harris said: "The vile nature of the threats targeting my children, very close family relatives and the sustained, relentless nature of it, I think and thought needs to be called out.

"This is not who we are. These are criminal acts and whatever people think of anybody’s politics, I’m a democratically elected member of Dáil Éireann [Parliament of Ireland], I’m the leader of a political party and the Tánaiste of this Government."

Three bomb threats were made to the Fine Gael leader’s home over the weekend.

This followed two separate threats made last week, with security sources suggesting the suspect is urging others to undertake similar acts of intimidation.

He added: "People are entitled to go about their business, as are their families, and free from abuse and criminal behavior."

On Monday, Harris refused to rule out leaving politics over the threats that included kidnapping his children and blowing up his house.

Gardaí [Irish police] from the Special Detective Unit believe that the latest string of chilling messages were coordinated online, using the encrypted social media app Telegram.

Three voice calls, all made through the app, claimed that a bomb had been placed at the Tánaiste’s home in Greystones, Co Wicklow.

The mother of Harvey Sherratt, the young boy who suffered from severe scoliosis and died in July after years of waiting for urgently needed spinal surgery, has urged people not to sully her son’s legacy by issuing threats.

Gillian Sherratt said: "I really hope this isn’t the case BUT if anyone is doing these threats in the name of #JusticeForHarvey please don’t. This kind of thing is completely unacceptable and when there are kids involved too it’s just disgusting.

"We have previously said that our issues with Simon Harris have always been political and not personal and if anyone is using Harvey’s name for this kind of carry on, you are doing him a massive disservice."

In a statement issued over the weekend, Harris left open the possibility of leaving politics because of the threats.

He said: "Over the coming days and weeks, I will consult with my Fine Gael, Government and broader political colleagues about these threats and intimidation online and what action we can and should take.

"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."

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.