Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has revealed gardaí are in constant contact over threats to his family.

Speaking in Co Tipperary at his campaign launch the Labour party deputyleader said the past two years have been extremely difficult for him and his wife.

He said “We’re a young family with young kids, you have responsibilities to ensure that everybody is safe and protected, you do have concerns when you are getting phone calls late at night and when gardaí are telling you you are under threat.

“One particular time a superintendent told me there were dissident issues going on. So them things upset and worry you. I believe in sharing everything with your family to make them fully aware with what is going on so, they were some emotional times.

“You get different stuff in the post. The lads in the office got so much stuff, post and phone calls, different other stuff, so it was just an emotional time. I had never faced anything like that before.”

Mr Kelly has been targeted with a number of death threats since being appointed Minister for the Environment.

He said there was a theory this was all being co-ordinated by one person but claims it was much wider than that.

Mr Kelly told supporters the past two years had been a difficult and traumatic time for him and his family.