A DUBLIN ELECTION candidate has been criticised for using the likeness of a well-known paper to further her election campaign.

Labour candidate for Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown Juliet O’Connell has come under fire for using the likeness of the Dublin Gazette on leaflets distributed during her campaign. 

O’Connell issued two styles of fliers in her constituency featuring edited versions of the paper’s front page and unauthorised use of the publication’s masthead.

Since distributing the leaflets and posting them on social media O’Connell has apologised for not gaining permission to use the paper’s likeness, according to an article on the Dublin Gazette’s website. 

A spokesperson for the Irish Labour Party told TheJournal.ie:

“As soon as the Gazette brought their concern about the leaflet to the attention of the Labour Party we contacted the candidate and asked for distribution of it to be halted.”

“The Labour Party does not centrally oversee the content of leaflets distributed in the run-up to local elections.

 ”If Juliet misinterpreted the scope of the permission she was given to make use of the Gazette’s article, then naturally we regret any confusion arising from this misunderstanding.”

The Dublin Gazette said that it permitted O’Connell to use the content of the article featured on the leaflet in her election. However, it never permitted the use of the paper’s likeness, in order to avoid readers confusing this for political allegiance. ”

“We are quite disappointed with what has happened,” online editor and Dublin City reporter, Rachel D’Arcy told TheJournal.ie.

“It could have damaged our reputation locally and locals have been calling us quite frustrated.”

“Juliet was allowed to use the content of the article but not the masthead or logo.”

 A statement on the Dublin Gazette’s website read:

“Dublin Gazette would like to assure our readers that we do not – and will never – align our explicit support with any specific political candidate or party ahead of this May’s elections, and that Dublin Gazette are in no way associated with this literature.”

Following the complaint from the paper, O’Connell said in the same article that she is withdrawing the leaflet’s from circulation and intends to destroy all leaflets that have not been distributed.

Juliet O’Connell has been contacted for comment. 

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