The photograph was taken at the 30th birthday party of a friend of Emma Kiernan, who is seeking a seat on Newbridge Town Council.
It features Ms Kiernan and two female friends striking a playful pose. The photograph was posted on social networking
site Facebook, and is one of several featuring the twentysomething candidate out and about partying with friends.
The photo is typical of many party pics which are posted on Facebook pages, and wouldn't have attracted any attention but for the fact that the 27-year-old is running for election.
According to Ms Kiernan, the photograph was posted on a friend's Facebook page without her knowledge. Facebook allows site users to electronically "tag" their friends in photographs. Photos of Ms Kiernan tagged by her friends are available to view through her own Facebook page, and the candidate would have been able to view the photos herself. Facebook also allows users the option of making their sites private, but Ms Kiernan's was, at the time of writing,public and available to Facebook users.
Emma Kiernan (centre) in the Facebook picture that has caused a bit of a stir
"I'm actually surprised that anyone was interested in that photograph," she said when contacted by the Leinster Leader.
"It wasn't on my own Facebook site," she explained. "But my attention was drawn to it on Monday evening when it was raised on several boards (internet chat forums] like politics.ie.
"So as soon as I heard I contacted my friend who had it removed from her profile.
"Admittedly it's not a great photograph," she said, "and if it did cause offence to anyone, I'd like to apologise."
She stressed she hadn't posted the photograph herself.
"I can only police my own Facebook profile – not anyone else's."
