GARDAÍ ARE investigating after Ireland's top public health officials were subject to abusive and threatening phone calls from anonymous callers.
Ireland's Chief Medical Officer and the public face of the country's fight against Covid-19, Dr Tony Holohan, has been threatened with anonymous calls in recent days, with Ministers condemning the actions as "appalling".
As reported by The Sunday Independent, Dr Holohan received a number of calls on Friday form an anonymous person who was abusive and threatening to a member of his family who answered the call.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn also received "menacing" calls on Friday night, as did RTÉ News' Health Correspondent Fergal Bowers, who shared the voice message on Twitter.
Does anyone recognise this voice? I got this message just after 3.30 am this morning via No Phone ID. I will be alerting the relevant authorities. pic.twitter.com/B9Duln1ehf
— Fergal Bowers (@FergalBowers) July 17, 2021
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, condemned the menacing anonymous calls, saying it was "absolutely appalling that public health doctors advising Government would be targeted with abuse for doing their jobs in the middle of a pandemic.
"They have worked relentlessly throughout Covid and have difficult jobs to do," he wrote on social media.
"They deserve our respect and support."
It is absolutely appalling that public health doctors advising Government would be targeted with abuse for doing their jobs in the middle of a pandemic. They have worked relentlessly throughout Covid and have difficult jobs to do. They deserve our respect and support.
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) July 18, 2021
Former Health Minister and current Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, said he was "sickened" to hear about the abusive calls the public figures were receiving.
"Our public health officials have been working around the clock for well over a year now to keep us safe & provide us with the best possible expert advice," he said.
"Sickened to hear of abusive calls being directed at them & their families."
Our public health officials have been working around the clock for well over a year now to keep us safe & provide us with the best possible expert advice. Sickened to hear of abusive calls being directed at them & their families
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) July 18, 2021
An Garda Síochána confirmed in a statement to JOE.ie that they had received reports of "menacing phone calls" to public figures and "these matters will be fully investigated".
