Updated 3.05pm 

AN ARMY BOMB disposal unit was called to the constituency office of Alan Kelly after staff received a suspicious package this morning.

Gardaí confirmed that they were called to the office in Nenagh, Co Tipperary this morning just after 9am after the package was delivered and Kelly’s staff became suspicious of its contents.

It’s believed a threatening letter and a powdery substance were contained in an envelope delivered to the office and opened by a staff member.

The office of the Environment Minister and Labour TD was temporarily closed and an army bomb disposal arrived on the scene at around 12.40pm.

The Defence Forces confirmed that following an examination the letter and the material were deemed to be a hoax. The scene was declared safe at 1.30pm.

In a statement this afternoon, Kelly condemned the threat:

This is a highly deplorable incident. It is not something any office of any occupation should have to deal with at anytime.

“I will not be making any further comment other than to acknowledge the hard-work and dedication of the constituency office staff who regrettably have to encounter such instances.  My primary concern is for their health and safety.

The constituency office in Nenagh Google Street View Google Street View

“I would further like to thank the Gardai and the Army for the professionalism they demonstrated who regrettably had to deal with this incident.”

A number of threats have been made against the minister since he took responsibility for the environment portfolio, which includes overseeing the controversial roll out of water charges.

Last November a bomb threat was phoned into the same office in Nenagh with another caller threatening to kill the minister.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Saturday Night with Miriam programme in July, Kelly claimed that death threats had been made against his family.

“It’s one thing to have threats against yourself or nasty things said about yourself. It’s another thing for stuff to be sent to your family, your wife, your parents and, also, my staff,” he said at the time.

Read more: Alan Kelly reveals death threats against his family but says Irish Water was not a mistake