“I’m not really sure where he’s canvassing, but he’s certainly not canvassing in Carlow-Kilkenny if that’s the response. Water is definitely coming up, and it’s crazy for him to say it isn’t,” said Sinn Féin candidate Kathleen Funchion yesterday.

Officially, Friday’s Carlow/Kilkenny byelection is all about replacing former Fine Gael TD Phil Hogan, who was ‘promoted’ to Europe after the Irish Water debacle.

A Fine Gael councillor and adviser to one of the party’s MEPs has apologised for suggesting water charges protestors should drink rain water and said that she has been "overwhelmed" by the reaction to her comments.