Support for candidate forced to pull out of election for chief scout

Ireland’s scouting organisation says it “fully supports” its member who pulled out of the running for the association’s top job due to a threatening email.

Earlier this week Kiernan Gildea revealed that he had received an anonymous message on the eve of Scouting Ireland’s National Council last April, at which he was due to contest the election of a new chief scout.

“Insinuations and threats were made in the email, which put into question my suitability to be an adult in scouting. There was even a reference to my professional life,” Mr Gildea, who is gay, told the Irish Scouter website.