The Labour Party has reportedly drafted an election ad that shows Gerry Adams and Micheál Martin as a gay couple.
According to the Sunday Independent, the photo of the pair on their wedding day carries the tag line - 'This is one marriage we should vote NO to this year'.
They are shown surrounded by other Opposition TDs Mick Wallace, Paul Murphy, Clare Daly and Richard Boyd Barrett.
The paper claims the ad, which would be used to run in the lead up to the General Election if accepted by the party, is aimed at stoking fears over the possibility of a Sinn Féin/Fianna Fáil coalition - as well as reminding voters of Labour's role in the successful same-sex marriage referendum.
The Sunday Independent says the advertisement is "currently a draft and has not been commissioned to run in any publication".
Fianna Fail's Dublin Spokesperson Darragh O'Brien, says the ad uses the popularity of the marriage equaility referendum to score political points:
Former senior political adviser, Gerard Howlin, says if the ad is used it could draw criticism for negative campaigning.
Speaking on the Sunday Show earlier today, Mr Howlin said, "it's dangerous politics in the sense that people feel very entitled to be quite cutting about their politicians. They don't necessarily thank political parties for attacking and being cutting and being negative.
"Some politicians who are very acerbic, who can land punch after punch after punch, can often be extremely poor at bringing people with them," he added.
The draft advertisement has also been criticised by other politicians and election candidates, with Fianna Fáil's saying "this puerile politicking is unacceptable".
As a dad raising teenage boys to challenge homophobic remarks this puerile politicking is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/nUpik8RJsl
— Colm Keaveney T.D. (@Colm_Keaveney) January 3, 2016
