A farmer from Co Galway has been convicted of assault by throwing a bag of cow dung at TD Anne Rabbitte at a public meeting in January 2023.
He was also convicted of a breach of the peace by engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour that night.
Joseph Baldwin of Ballyaneen, Gort, Co Galway, had denied the charges.
Mr Baldwin said he never intended to hurt anyone at the meeting, and went there to make his views known about how fed up he was about a series of issues affecting his town, and that local TDs were not helping matters.
His behaviour was described as reckless by State barrister Geri Silke, who said he lobbed the bag of cow dung in the direction of Ms Rabbitte, taking a risk that it would hit her or someone, and that he never undertook any legitimate means - such as emails or letters - to air his grievances.
Ms Rabbitte had told the court that she was transfixed with fear after the bag was thrown at her and while the CCTV footage showed the bag did not hit her, she felt that it did.
Solicitor for Mr Baldwin, Darragh Hassett, said the TD's actions and demeanour immediately after the incident did not display those of a person who was in fear, and that her reaction was to tweet about it on her phone.
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Earlier, Ennis District Court judge refused an application to dismiss the charge of assault against Mr Baldwin.
CCTV footage, shown to the court on 13 September, showed Mr Baldwin flinging the bag at Ms Rabbitte, but it missed hitting her.
He had done this after also flinging a bag of animal excrement at Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon, which landed at his feet and did not hit him.
But he turned to Ms Rabbitte and said: "There's one for you too."
Mr Hassett, on behalf of Mr Baldwin, had made a submission to Judge Alec Gabbett to drop the charge of assault, given the object thrown did not actually hit the deputy.
Giving his ruling earlier today on the submission to drop the assault charge, Judge Gabbett said he was refusing the application having considered the evidence before him and having watched the CCTV.
This afternoon, Judge Gabbett said he was satisfied the State had proved its case and there was an assault and a breach of the peace.
He said he would adjourn sentencing in the matter to allow Mr Baldwin to engage with the probation services over the next eight weeks and he put the matter back to 18 December.
The court heard that the defendant had six previous convictions, mainly road traffic matters.
Afterwards, Ms Rabbitte said she believed a line was crossed over the events involving public representatives, and she said she was glad the courts recognised that fact but that she was glad it was now concluded.
