A 53-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a bomb threat made six weeks ago against the home of Taoiseach Simon Harris.
The suspect, already in custody for unrelated offences, was detained this morning after detectives secured a Section 42 warrant, allowing gardaí to remove him from prison as part of the ongoing criminal investigation.
The man is currently being held at a garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which permits questioning for up to 24 hours.
The investigation began on June 26, when a bomb threat targeting the Taoiseach’s residence was made via a phone call to the Samaritans helpline around 6 p.m. Gardaí conducted a thorough search of the home but found no explosive device.
This incident marks the third Garda investigation into threats and harassment directed at the Taoiseach and his family within the past three months.
Another investigation is underway following a recent threat posted on Instagram, which referenced a weapon and threatened violence against Mr. Harris, his wife, and their children. The post remained online for at least two days before being removed by Instagram after it was widely shared.
The Taoiseach has condemned these threats but vowed not to be deterred from performing his duties.
He also warned social media companies that regulations are expected by the end of the year and that Ireland will “hit where it hurts” if platforms fail to take responsibility for harmful content.
In addition to these threats, anti-migrant protesters have twice demonstrated outside the Taoiseach’s home. On May 2, a group of around a dozen masked individuals holding anti-immigrant banners gathered outside while his wife was preparing their children for bed.
Images of the protest were later circulated on social media. In June, another small group of masked protesters with Irish flags arrived at the residence, but they left after gardaí intervened.
Three men, known to gardaí for their involvement in anti-migrant protests across the country, were arrested in Dublin following the June incident.
Mr. Harris has previously stated that families and homes should be off-limits for protests, calling such actions inappropriate.
