A woman in her fifties has been arrested as part of an investigation into the alleged harassment of Taoiseach Simon Harris following a demonstration outside his home in May.
A group of far-right protesters staged an anti-immigration demonstration on May 2nd outside the house in Greystones, Co Wicklow, where Mr Harris lives with his wife and two young children.
Speaking after the incident, Mr Harris said people’s families and homes “should be out of bounds”.
The Taoiseach said it was “bedtime” for his children when the group gathered outside his home. When asked to comment on the protest, he told reporters: “I don’t like describing those sorts of things as protest.
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“I have a very clear view in relation to this whether it’s me, whether it’s an opposition politician, whether it’s, it’s quite frankly, anybody. I always think people’s families and people’s homes should be out of bounds.
“It was bedtime for my kids last night when this situation arose. I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
Mr Harris’s home has been targeted by demonstrators on several occasions.
An image from the incident shows protesters with their faces obscured blocking the driveway of the Taoiseach’s home. Mr Harris was at a funeral and not at home at the time but his wife and children were present.
Gardaí were called to the house and the demonstrators dispersed. No arrests were made at the time.
In a statement on Thursday, a spokesman for the Garda said a woman was arrested for alleged offences contrary to Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act, as part of “ongoing investigations into the alleged harassment of an elected representative on May 2nd”.
The woman was detained at a Garda station in Co Wicklow under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
Elements of the same group had been involved in numerous protests in previous weeks, including one in Newtownmountkennedy that ended in clashes between demonstrators and gardaí.
They were also present at a site in Crooksling earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation and at a demonstration outside the home of Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman during which banners were hung on the fence.
At least one of those present outside the Taoiseach’s home was investigated by gardaí for alleged involvement in the Dublin riots in November, in particular an incident where a garda car was set on fire.
The group has also protested outside the homes of people involved in providing commercial services relating to asylum seeker accommodation.
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