Social media companies have a responsibility to take down online threats against politicians “immediately, without question”, the Justice Minister has said.

Heen McEntee was speaking after it emerged Gardaí are investigating a threat against the Taoiseach Simon Harris and his family that was posted on Instagram over the weekend.

The threat reportedly referred to a weapon and threatened violence against Mr Harris and his wife and children.

It is understood the threat remained online for at least two days after Gardaí asked Instagram owner Meta to remove it.

In a statement yesterday, the Taoiseach said he would not be deterred from doing his job – and warned that there can be “no hiding place for anyone seeking to threaten, attack or harm people or to incite others to do so”.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the online threat was “absolutely appalling”.

“I think I share that sentiment with the vast majority of people in this country,” she said.

“The fact that our Taoiseach, but also his family, his wife and his children would be in any way threatened is absolutely appalling.

“The fact that this is online is no different to if someone had done it in person, in front of them or, you know, in a way that maybe we've been more used to in the past.

“It's absolutely appalling that anybody would think that they could threaten any person online.

“It is being taken extremely seriously; the Gardaí are engaging with the Taoiseach and you know, I won't get into the details of the case, but social media companies have a role to play.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris speaks to the media at a doorstep outside Government Buildings, 21-5-24. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Minister McEntee said she was unable to discuss the details of the case while it is ongoing; however, when asked if she felt it was good enough that a threat against a politician could remain online for two days she said: “Personally, no I don't.”

“Again, I don't have the exact timelines for how long it was up,” she said. “But if a post has been left up for two days, it's not good enough.

“Now, I know social media companies will say that they have certain measures that they have to take - that they have to look at the content, that they have to go through various different stages - but if something is very clearly illegal content, if something is very clearly a threat, it should be taken down immediately without question.

“I'm very clear on that. Again, without having the details, I am very clear on that.”

The threat against the Taoiseach comes following an earlier bomb threat at his home as well as a Garda investigation into gatherings of masked individuals outside his home on two occasions.

You can listen back to Minister McEntee here: