A Dublin MEP has hit back at reports this morning that he spent €100,000 on a pre-election blitz ahead of the European elections in May.

The Sun on Sunday reports that Socialist MEP Paul Murphy has spent thousands and blown his budget by covering Dublin buses with ads and splashing out on billboards in a bid to win back his seat.

The anti-austerity socialist candidate from Goatstown is running to claim a seat in European Parliament for the first time after replacing Joe Higgins in 2011.

Paul Murphy says he has spent more than the allocated €50,000 but not anything near €100,000 and what they are spending will be worth it in the long run.

“We have a target to raise from small donations that is much in excess of anything we’ve ever spent on election before. It’s still less than what all the other parties will spend, they’ll all spend in excess of 150,000,” Murphy said.

“But the reason we’re doing it is we think we can maintain the seat, you know we don’t have the corporate donations, the developer donations, so we’re entirely dependent on our own fundraising.”