Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy has lashed out at Sinn Féin as 'sectarian' and questioned the party's credentials as a force for the Left.
He made the comments to the The Pat Kenny Show as he canvassed voters in Greenhills in his Dublin South-West constituency.
The remarks have already provoked a reaction from Sinn Féin, as Gerry Adams' party looks to take two seats in the five seat territory.
The constituency's sitting Sinn Féin TD Sean Crowe had this to say:
@newschambers @VoteHollandSF @PatKennyNT hasn't come up and haven't come across him on any doors or any areas I have canvased in DSW
— Seán Crowe (@SeanCroweTD) February 9, 2016
Dublin West candidate Cllr Paul Donnelly says Murphy is lying.
Blatant lies by Paul Murphy in relation to a coalition and Sinn Féin. #ge16 @PatKennyNT
— Cllr. Paul Donnelly (@PaulDonnellySF) February 9, 2016
The Anti-Austerity Alliance TD has also hit out at "a sectarian call for Catholics to vote for their own" by Sinn Féin.
He was referring to assembly elections in Belfast last year.
A leaflet distributed by Sinn Féin candidate Gerry Kelly contained figures from the 2011 census - claiming that there are more Catholics than Protestants in north Belfast.
You can listen back to Paul Murphy speaking to Newstalk.com's Richard Chambers here:
Meanwhile, Deputy Murphy says he is ready to play a leading role in a new left party to take up that role - because he says Labour are in for a 'bloodbath'.