Anne Rabbitte 'horrified beyond belief' after cow dung attack

Galway East TD has curtailed the number of public events she attends since a bag of excrement was thrown at her at a meeting in January

Minister of State Anne Rabbitte: 'Since January, I think of every move, I plan my moves and I don't do anything off the cuff anymore.' Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Junior Minister Anne Rabbitte has said she has been left afraid to attend constituency events after a bag of cow excrement was thrown at her at a public meeting.

Ms Rabbitte has raised security concerns with the Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, after being "horrified beyond belief" at the incident during which she and Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon were both subjected to the attack in Gort, Galway.

The Galway East TD has curtailed the number of public events she now attends and has also cut back on the number of media interviews she does as a result of the attack.

Mr Fearghaíl is to meet female politicians this week to discuss security concerns and the measures that can be put in place to protect them.

Recounting the incident in January, Ms Rabbitte said: "The legs were taken out from under me, I was actually more horrified beyond belief... I was mortified, embarrassed and I just wished to God that the ground could have opened and swallowed me at that precise moment in time."

The Fianna Fáil politician added: 

Since January, I think of every move, I plan my moves and I don't do anything off the cuff anymore.

She said that since the incident she has been subject to further abuse in person and online, stating that "it never stops".

"I am still picking up the pieces and I'm sure after doing this interview with you, people will feel that they can say whatever they so wish. It's relentless and it's tiring." she told RTÉ radio.

Ms Rabbitte said the incident has not put her off running again in the next general election, however, she said: "On that night back in January, there were a couple of moments that night when I queried myself as to why I do this. 

That's the first time ever in my political career that I would have doubted myself.

She claimed that the type of abuse that female TDs receive is different from their male counterparts and is more about their looks, how they speak and how they conduct themselves.