The former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald has insisted that she took the lead in returning a lost dog to its owner in Dublin this weekend.
The Fine Gael European election candidate for Dublin is having a ruff time of it online over a tweet she sent while out on the campaign trail in Ranelagh on Saturday.
Deputy Fitzgerald tweeted a picture of a small dog with the caption: “Found this little guy at the Triangle in Ranelagh.”
She said she rang the number on his collar only to find that the owner was none other than former Tánaiste – and current Senator – Michael McDowell.
A short time later however, she found herself under fire when Twitter user @KellyEllen accused her of telling tall tails.
“No you didn’t find him,” she wrote. “I did.”
“And you commandeered him for a photo op when I asked to borrow your colleague’s phone to call his owner.”
No you didn’t find him. I did. And you commandeered him for a photo op when I asked to borrow your colleagues phone to call his owner.
— Kelly Mackenzie (@kellyellen) May 4, 2019
This morning, a spokesperson for Deputy Fitzgerald insisted her team did return the dog to Senator McDowell.
She said a member of the public left the dog in their care after asking if they had a phone to call the owner.
She said Deputy Fitzgerald was as surprised as anyone when that owner turned out to be Senator McDowell - adding that she is just happy that the dog is safe and well at home.
The European elections are due to take place on Friday May 24th.
