Bitter by-election row over SF ‘dirty tricks campaign’

Two left-wing candidates in the Dublin South-West by-election are engaged in a bitter row over their positions on water charges, after claims that Sinn Féin launched a "dirty tricks" campaign against its closest rival.

The Socialist Party candidate, Paul Murphy, said Sinn Féin should investigate whether one of its members made up a Facebook profile, purporting to be his and falsely attributing comments to him.

The row erupted after Sinn Féin member Jason Roe posted an online picture of a conversation he had with a profile which carried Mr Murphy’s name and picture.