Smear campaign launched against Mary Hanafin

A smear campaign has been launched against former Education Minister Mary Hanafin in a bid to derail her attempt to return to the Dáil in the general election.

Negative messages and posters targeting the former teacher and calling on voters not to elect the “toxic” councillor to the Dáil have been placed in her electoral area.

Ms Hanafin was the target of a dirty tricks postering campaign when she ran in the highly contested Blackrock ward in South Dublin in last year’s local elections.