Kenny condemns hate mail as a ‘new low’

The Taoiseach has led condemnations of the hoax chemical weapon sent to the home of Justice Minister Alan Shatter and the hate mail sent to his officials in the Department of Justice.

The Army bomb disposal unit had to be called to Mr Shatter’s house in the Delbrook Manor estate in the south Dublin suburb of Ballinteer yesterday morning after an envelope containing white powder was discovered.

The powder, meant to create the fear that it was an explosive or poisonous substance, was later found to be harmless baking powder, but only after causing anxiety and disruption for the under-pressure minister and his neighbours.

Anti-Semitic material accompanied the envelope, which is believed to have been marked with a swastika. Taoiseach Enda Kenny later revealed that similar material had been sent to staff at the Department of Justice.

Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Kenny condemned the intimidation. “We have had members of the Jewish faith here representing the Fianna Fáil party, the Labour Party and Fine Gael over the years. This has sunk to a new low,” he said.

He added that a “stream of similar material” had been received by the Department of Justice. “Irrespective of the normal rough and tumble that we can have here in politics, I am sure we all deplore that.”

Gardaí maintain a permanent security presence at Mr Shatter’s home, but additional units were called to the scene yesterday and the Garda press office said an investigation into the incident was under way.

Minister for Health James Reilly described the incident as “absolutely appalling.” He said the threats inferred by the package were illegal and criminal and would be treated as such.

Coalition colleague Junior Health Minister Alex White also said he wanted to “condemn outright” the threats to Mr Shatter, who shares his Dublin South constituency.

Chairman of the Oireachtas Justice Committee, David Stanton, said the committee unanimously deplored the actions of whoever had tried to intimidate the minister.

Mr Shatter has previously been the subject of anti-Semitic abuse. In Limerick late last year he was targeted by abusive anti-Government posters and last week abusive graffiti was daubed closed to the Garda Club on Dublin’s Harrington Street.