Attacks on politicians have been used to intimidate — and it's working.

That is according to Neasa Hourigan, Green Party Spokesperson on Finance and Health, said she was afraid to comment on a recent incident because "the abuse intensifies for a few days afterwards".

Gardaí have launched an investigation into an incident where a bag of cow dung was reportedly thrown at Minister of State Anne Rabbitte.

Ms Hourigan told The Pat Kenny Show that the issue is such that "we're past guff".

"It would stop you kind of really engaging in the work of your job", she said.

"I've gone past the the stage of recommending politics to people."

Abuse

The TD for Dublin-Central says she's experienced abuse for her political work on several occasions.

"If I do think back over the last two and a half years, I've been spat on, I've had coin coins thrown at me, I've had my house and car and children photographed and some of it put on social media with abuse", she said.

She says she was once threatened on the LUAS.

"That stands out for me because that's a very public place... they started giving out about the green agenda... it was very intimidating and I got off at the next stop", she explained.

"It's not a one-off. There's been a couple of incidents like that and I wear a hat now on the LUAS because I'm not quite as identifiable with the red hair."

Family life

Ms Hourigan says she's "really protective" of her children who have sometimes witnessed her negative encounters in public.

When someone tried to take photos of them while out once, she was "particularly angry".

"I almost like chased somebody when they were taking photographs of them on the road", she said.

"It is frightening. I'm worried about the impact of them and like, they're at the stage where they're kind of saying, 'well, why are people being mean to you, mommy?'."

"I'm hoping that they don't really have to face it at any time in the future."

Main image shows Neasa Hourigan. Photo: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie