Joan Burton insists she gave an honest statement on what she alleges happened to her at a water charge protest in Jobstown in Dublin.

Her cross-examination continued today in the trial of seven men accused of falsely imprisoning her while she was Tánaiste in 2014.

Under cross-examination by Ciaran O'Loughlin on behalf of one of the accused - Michael Banks of Brookview Green in Tallaght - Ms Burton said the protesters used "extreme language that was full of venom and hatred".

She accepted that not everyone was engaged in such behaviour and said she did not know if his client was at the protest.

His fellow co-accused, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, was the only one she recognised, she said.

Michael O'Higgins, who is defending Ken Purcell of Kiltalown Green in Tallaght, asked if calling one of the leaders of a country names was just water off a duck's back.

"Not if a person is raining blows down on a car", she replied..

He put it to her that she deliberately made no reference to water charge protesters in her statement to gardaí because she wanted to paint a picture of a "disorganised rabble".

She denied that was the case and said she gave her statement "honestly and in good faith"

Her cross-examination will resume on Thursday.