The president of Sinn Féin, Mr Gerry Adams, yesterday appealed to the "very sophisticated" electorate of Kerry North not to be put off by what were described as "spins" against the party's candidate in the constituency, Mr Martin Ferris.
Both himself, Mr Martin McGuinness and other members of Sinn Féin in the North had suffered the same kind of negative campaign, he said. The electorate in these constituencies had seen through the spinning, Mr Adams said.
The negative campaigning of political parties, together with certain harassment, was designed to frighten people who would give their second or third preferences to Sinn Féin, he said.
Mr Adams was speaking during a constituency visit to Kerry North where he went on walkabouts in Listowel, Ballybunion and Castleisland, as well as visiting an exhibition on violence against women in Tralee, called "Once is Too Much".
Martin Ferris was a former IRA volunteer and activist and made no secret of his past at that period of his life, Mr Adams said.
"You don't be involved in what Martin was involved in," without coming up against people who ended up with personal grievances going back over time. In some cases these grievances were understandable human reactions. However, they were now interfering with the political process.
"It's absolutely mind-bending for them to think that Martin Ferris would be elected as a TD for Kerry North. And that's where the agenda comes in, " Mr Adams said.
Asked what should therefore be done about the alleged targeting of Sinn Féin and Mr Ferris, Mr Adams said he didn't know but added "we would like it to go away."
Sinn Féin was not for vigilantism, and it was not involved in vigilantism, Mr Adams said.
Mr Ferris said Sinn Féin had been to the forefront in the campaign against drugs and against drugs pushers in the area, in exposing what was going on and in creating awareness of "the growing problem" in the area. He made no apologies for that.
Earlier this month Mr Ferris's election agent, Mr James Sheehan, was questioned in Tralee Garda station over an alleged vigilante attack at Castleisland in the county last December. He was subsequently released.
On March 11th Mr Ferris was arrested himself, and claimed he had been assaulted while in custody. He was also released. Gardaí said a file on the Castleisland incident was forwarded to the DPP.