MINISTER Lucinda Creighton has been threatened in "vicious" and
"horrific" emails and letters from both pro choice and pro life sides of
the abortion debate.THE European Affairs Minister said she has been sent "vile" correspondence and has been visited by people over the issue of abortion at her constituency.
Ms Creighton, told the Herald just before Christmas that she had made it clear she would not support any regime that would introduce liberalised abortion.
The issue of suicide being used as a grounds for termination was a "grey area" she did not favour.
"I have received what I would qualify as vicious, personal, horrific emails and letters from both sides, from pro-choice and pro-life sides. I condemn both," she said.
Asked what the correspondence said, she replied: "Just threatening, really, some pretty vile language on both sides by email and some letters. I've had people call in. In fairness, in person, people are much more courteous: what they'll write in an email and put in a Twitter or social media rant is very different to what they'll say to you to your face."
Despite calls from fellow Fine Gael TDs for a free vote on abortion legislation, she said she was "happy" to stand by Taoiseach Enda Kenny's decision to use the whip system.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has admitted that he has taken no additional safety measures in the wake of a threatening letter that was sent to him before Christmas over his stance on abortion.
The Primate of Ireland confirmed that he had received no further threats and that gardai were investigating one single letter.
"These are things that happen to anybody who says anything in life," he said. "There have been no other threats."