Gardaí probe complaint of harassment to Limerick mayoral election candidate

GARDAI have launched a second investigation into harrassment aimed at mayoral election candidate, Cllr Daniel Butler.

Officers at Roxboro are examining potentially malicious communications sent to the Fine Gael candidate and his wife Tania which, he says, has left his family “scared, upset and angry”.

As a result, the father-of-two has ramped up security at his home.

Ms Butler received a telephone call from an anonymous number which mentioned a member of his family.

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Hours later, Cllr Butler himself received an abusive message from a newly-created Instagram account.

It’s the second time gardai have had to intervene.

Earlier this month, online trolls uploaded pictures of Cllr Butler’s home with address details, and called for people to smash his windows.

Cllr Butler has admitted that he considered withdrawing from the race to be elected mayor.

“Anytime your family is under threat, you need to take a good look at things. Is it worth continuing if it is going to affect us like this? Myself and my wife decided we were not going to be intimidated. It’s not who we are, it’s out why we are in the race. If anything, it’s the very reason I should stay in the race and make a difference as mayor hopefully,” he said.

Despite this, Cllr Butler and his wife have had to make changes.

“We’ve had to review what we are doing with our children in terms of publicly now. We are going to have to keep our life, and our children, much more private now. We’ve always been generous and invited people into our home as a political family. That can’t continue now,” he said.

He added: “It’s a sad reflection of where we are at. All I am trying to do is put myself forward for a civic role to make the city and county a better place to live for everybody.”

A garda spokesperson confirmed they are investigating a complaint of harrassment.

“Specifically in respect of election campaigns, An Garda Síochána has appointed liaison Inspectors in each of our division’s nationwide to help keep all those participating in the forthcoming elections safe while campaigning,” they added.

The mayoral election takes place on Friday, June 7 next.