SOCIAL DEMOCRATS TD Daniel Ennis is suing online campaigner and would-be presidential candidate Nick Delehanty.

Ennis is one of the Dáil’s newest TDs, having won a recent byelection in Dublin Central.

Delehanty meanwhile sought to get on the ballot for last year’s presidential election and has previously run in local and general elections.

He is also a former lawyer and doggy day care owner.

High Court proceedings were issued on Wednesday by Ennis, who is being represented by Terence F Casey and Co Solicitors.

During the byelection campaign, lawyers acting for Ennis for issued a legal letter to Delehanty claiming that posts on Delehanty’s X account were “malicious and grossly defamatory”.

In a statement issued today to The Journal, Delehanty said that he had “only just become aware that proceedings have issued” and therefore “won’t comment on the substance at this stage”.

However, he said he denies “defaming Ennis and will be defending the proceedings”.

A spokesperson for the Social Democrats declined to comment as it’s a legal matter.