Taoiseach apologises after street artist hit out at mural image use  in TikTok post

Asbestos had demanded it be taken down and asked for an apology, as well as a contribution to a housing charity

This mural in Cork is calling on people to think about the question ‘what is home?’. Picture: Larry Cummins

Micheál Martin has apologised over the use of a photograph he did not have permission to use in one of his first TikTok videos.

The street artist who took it, known as Asbestos, demanded the video containing the photo be taken down as soon as he found out about its use, asking for for an apology and a contribution to a housing charity.

As well as taking the video down, the Taoiseach apologised for the “unintended error” of using Asbestos’ photo.

A Fianna Fáil spokesperson said: “The video has been removed from the Taoiseach’s TikTok account.

“We acknowledge permission was not sought for the image and the Taoiseach apologises for this unintended error.

“It was removed as soon as it was drawn to our attention. Any offence caused to the artist was unintentional.

There was no attempt to give the impression the artist was endorsing the Taoiseach.

The mural was featured in a TikTok video which also shares photographs of various landmarks in and around Cork, including scenes from a GAA match, Cobh and the English Market.

The artist had initially hit out saying that a photograph of his giant What is Home? mural on the side of a building in Cork city had been used on the Taoiseach’s TikTok account.

He said on Monday it makes it look like he endorses Mr Martin, which — he insisted — he does not.

“At no time has he or any representatives requested permission to use the mural or the photography of the mural,” Asbestos said.

“Both the mural and the photo are my own copyright, which I'm sure the Taoiseach is well aware.

“I do not endorse him or his government.” He added: “They have been in power and caused a great deal of this crisis.

“This mural is about a crisis in housing in homelessness, and the Irish government's terrible response.” 

He said they did not like the idea of their mural being “co-opted” by any politicians, let alone the Taoiseach.

Asbestos added: “This art was made for the public not to be co-opted by politicians.”

In 2012, Fianna Fáil’s youth wing Ogra Fianna Fail had to apologise and make a payment to west Cork photographer John Minihan when they used his iconic black-and-white image of Samuel Beckett — photographed in the 1980s — without his permission.

At the time, Mr Minihan described the unauthorised use of his image, in a poster campaign, as “an abuse of copyright” as well as “an abuse of Beckett and all he represents”.