Throwing bags of excrement at elected representatives is 'a subversion of democracy', according to Newstalk Breakfast host Ciara Kelly.

She was speaking after Minister of State for Disability Anne Rabbitte and Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon had the bags thrown at them at a meeting on Wednesday evening.

Attended a meeting tonight and a bag of sh.t thrown a me and my government colleague !!!

— Anne Rabbitte TD (@AnneRabbitte) January 4, 2023

Deputy Cannon said: "All part of the job you might say, but I can understand why fewer people want this job."

So an idiot goes to the bother of putting excrement (human or animal, yet unknown) into two bags and throws one at me and one at Anne. All part of the job you might say, but I can understand why fewer people want this job. #politics https://t.co/3XS9EvL98y

— Ciaran Cannon (@ciarancannon) January 4, 2023

Ciara said this is anti-democratic.

"I think it is a disgusting act; not just because it's an assault on an elected representative, but it's disgusting in its essence what somebody has done," she said.

"I also think it's worse than that: I think it's a subversion of democracy.

"It undermines and intimidates elective representatives who have a mandate from people.

"That's how this country functions: whether you like it or not, we are a democracy".

'Sickening'

Ciara said any attack on an elected representative is unacceptable.

"This is a Brownshirt move, it disgusts me on every single level," she said.

"It disgusts me in the same way - by the way - as smoothies being thrown at Leo Varadkar, as water balloons being thrown at Joan Burton and at any elected representative being assaulted by somebody who doesn't seem to give a crap what happens in terms of elections.

"These people are people who represent other people.

"I hope they are prosecuted, I hope they're prosecuted seriously and properly as an assault.

"This is an anti-democratic, sickening move and it gauls me," she added.