People found deliberately spitting or coughing on anyone should face immediate six month jail term, says Longford councillor

That's according to Longford County Councillor Cllr Paraic Brady, who launched a stinging rebuke at recent concerns of a sudden spike in such practices.

"It's absolutely disgusting, downright disgusting," he told the Leader this afternoon.

"These people should be jailed for six months straight away, no questions asked."

Cllr Brady, a member of the HSE's Dublin Mid Leinster Health Forum, made the call after Health Minister Simon Harris revealed yesterday how he had fallen foul of the practice in recent days.

Mr Harris said a man and a woman approached him as he was walking from Government Buildings to the Department of Health on Baggot Street on Tuesday and “thought it was hilariously funny to come up and cough loudly and run off laughing”.

Mr Harris said there was "absolutely nothing funny about it, it was quite pathetic" and warned that the full rigours of the law will be used against those found to be engaging in such acts.

Cllr Brady said those laws and tough handed legislation cannot come quick enough.

"Anyone who does it, be it to our gardaí, frontline staff or innocent members of the public should be put away for six months at the very least," he said.

"That will fairly stop them then."