Gardaí may increase protection for TDs after 'very serious' death threat to Jack Chambers

The one-page typed letter sent to the minister of state is being considered as 'very serious' and 'sinister' by An Garda Síochána

Gardaí are satisfied that the letter posted to Jack Chambers’ Dublin West constituency office contained a credible death threat. 

A recommendation to extend garda protection to three super junior ministers has been made after a death threat was received by Fianna Fáil TD Jack Chambers.

A one-page typed letter sent to the minister of state is being considered as “very serious” and “sinister” by the gardaí.

Gardaí are satisfied that the letter, which was posted to Mr Chambers’ Dublin West constituency office, contained a credible death threat.

It is understood the letter, which was received in February and reported to the gardaí, was political in nature and also expressed “dissatisfaction” with the Government and “set out a threat around that”.

Gardaí in Blanchardstown, Dublin, with support from Garda HQ in Phoenix Park, have been investigating the letter.

The Sunday Independent reported that a review by the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service has recommended garda protection for Government ministers be extended to the three super-junior ministers. However, it is understood that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has yet to decide whether to follow up on the recommendation.

Ministerial protection was stood down in 2011 on austerity grounds, with only the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, attorney general, and minister for justice retaining garda protection.

However, garda drivers were reinstated early last year to then finance minister Paschal Donohoe, then public expenditure minister Michael McGrath, and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly following a security review by Mr Harris.

The review was sparked by a number of protests outside the homes of ministers.

Garda protection drivers were then assigned to all Cabinet ministers in September last year, on foot of a further security recommendation.

Around 40 garda officers were recruited to staff a driver pool for ministers.

However, this did not include Mr Chambers, Hildegarde Naughton and Pippa Hackett, who are the three junior ministers who sit at Cabinet.

The Irish Examiner reached out to the Government to ask whether incidents such as this would prompt a re-think on the security arrangements available for ministers.

A Department of Justice spokesperson said:  “For sound reasons of the safety and security of individuals it is not the practice of either Minister Harris or the Department to comment on security arrangements that may be in place.

“Minister Harris is in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner on such matters — the Garda Authorities keep the protection of certain office holders or other public figures under constant and active review.”

Security advice issued to politicians earlier this year advised them to consider carrying panic alarms and to vary the way they travel.

That advice came just days after an incident in which bags of excrement were thrown at Fianna Fáil junior minister Anne Rabbitte and Fine Gael Galway East TD Ciarán Cannon at a public meeting in Galway.

After a consultation process and a number of “concerning cases” raised by TDs, An Garda Síochána has made recommendations for certain TDs.

The Department of Public Expenditure confirmed at the time it was considering whether to fund extra security measures.