Minister Anne Rabbitte has admitted that she was “concerned for her safety” during an alleged incident that saw excrement thrown at her and Fine Gael TD Ciaran Cannon.
The Fianna Fáil TD was attending a public meeting regarding a proposed bio-gas plant in Gort, Co Galway, on Wednesday evening.
It is now understood that two bags of dry cow dung were thrown at the two TDs.
READ MORE: Gardai launch investigation after 'bag of excrement thrown' at two politicians in Galway
Gardaí confirmed to the Irish Mirror that they are now investigating the incident.
It has been suggested that the man who is accused of throwing the excrement did not leave the meeting.
Attendees at the meeting said that following the ordeal, he stood near Minister Rabbitte.
Speaking to Galway Bay FM, Minister Rabbitte said that the incident was “unfair” and left her “fearing for her safety”.
She admitted that it “took the legs from under her” and “left her with dry mouth”.
She said: “When you have a bag, no matter how big or small it is, or manure flung at you right into your torso, it doesn't leave you feeling great whatsoever.
“I was very disappointed that that incident happened.
“At the end of the day whatever way you look at it, a person at a meeting last night assaulted two Government representatives representing their constituents who were there in good faith.
“The person wasn't removed from the room, the person continued in the room for the rest of the evening.
“Needless to say, I stayed until I spoke. To be very fair, one of the organisers asked me did I wish to speak. I actually wasn't in a position to be able to speak to be quite honest with you.
“The legs were taken right out from under me. I had dry mouth. I wasn't able to put words together at that point.
“I was able to [speak] because I felt I needed to ventilate my anger of what was actually unfolding personally to me and how I felt. I just didn't feel good about it.
“I certainly did [worry about my personal safety] when I was leaving the room that night.”
Ms Rabbitte said that she went “straight to the guards” to report the incident. She said that the person accused of throwing the bag was “incredibly angry”.
She also suggested that organisers should have been “more firm than saying we need to be respectful in our debate” and that when things “go over the mark” they need to be “called out”.
Ms Rabbitte said: “I just felt very letdown. I think we hit a new low that it was ‘carry on, regardless’.
“We can't allow public representatives, no matter who they are, or anybody in civil society to be treated like that.”
Fine Gael’s Ciaran Cannon, meanwhile, suggested to Galway Bay FM that he believed the incident was “premeditated” and “that’s the element that causes me the greatest concern”.
“It was disturbing, the very fact that the gentleman stayed in very close proximity [and] the fact that he stayed in the room, close to Anne during the meeting.
A Garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána are investigating all the circumstances relating to an incident that occurred at a public meeting in Gort [on] Wednesday 4th January, 2023.”
The Irish Mirror has contacted the public meeting’s organisers for comment.
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