A Fianna Fail by-election candidate for a Dublin constituency has apologised for remarks she made on Twitter eight years ago.
Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee has found herself in hot water after tweets she had posted in 2011 and 2012 resurfaced.
The candidate is hoping to serve 'the people of Dublin Fingal as a TD' and is running in the upcoming by-election in the Fingal constituency which will be held on November 29.
In 2011, the Senator tweeted that she had to sit beside a "black, Brazilian dwarf" on a Dublin Bus journey.
Various tweets from that time also included a tweet where she referred to an item of clothing as "looking like something from a Traveller wedding".
As well as this, she said that her car had been stolen during that period "by a knacker".
The 38-year-old is currently Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Seanad.
Senator Clifford Lee has apologised for these remarks which she said were "wrong".
She added that she "hopes that the people of Dublin Fingal will not be distracted by personal smear campaigns" by people with "right-wing agendas"
A statement from Senator Clifford Lee issued to Dublin Live states: "The tweets referred to are from as far back as 2011 and were tweeted long before I became involved in electoral politics.
"I want to be absolutely clear, the tweets were wrong and I apologise for any hurt or offence caused by them.
"Anyone who has worked with me since my election to the Seanad three years ago can confirm the role I played in promoting progressive policies.
"I also actively supported the marriage equality referendum and the campaign to repeal the eighth amendment.
"While it does suit some people to take my tweets out of context for their own right-wing agenda I hope that the people of Dublin Fingal will not be distracted by personal smear campaigns such as this."
She added: "I want to be a TD for the people of Dublin Fingal as I know the very real issues that people face every day.
"I want this campaign to concentrate on solutions to transport, housing, health, childcare, climate change and protecting our communities from crime."
