Sinn Féin councillor Mr Martin Ferris yesterday called for an end to the "campaign of vilification" against his party nationally and in Kerry North. His remarks came as a seventh man - and a fifth member of his party - was brought in by gardaí for questioning in Killarney.
"Every day now we are having people arrested," Mr Ferris said last night. Most of the political parties had failed to debate the issues at the heart of the election and instead had focused on "frightening people away from Sinn Féin".
The seven men held by gardaí in Killarney have been questioned in connection with an alleged vigilante-style abduction in the Castleisland area in December.
Drugs were later found at the scene of the abducted man's burned-out car and a group, Concerned Parents Against Drugs, claimed responsibility. Sinn Féin has denied links with this group.
Mr Ferris confirmed last night that five of the seven men held for up to 12 hours in the past week were members of Sinn Féin in Kerry North, and they included high-profile members of the party locally. Up to last night all but the man arrested yesterday were released without charge.
As well as their director of elections for Kerry North, Mr James Sheehan, who was arrested on Friday, held for 12 hours and later released, the party's PRO in Kerry North, Mr Donal Cusack, was brought in by Killarney gardaí on Tuesday and subsequently released. Files are being sent to the DPP, say gardaí.
Mr Ferris said last night the arrests were interrupting the party's election campaign in the constituency. "I am trying to canvass. Solicitors have to be organised. Families have to be brought to Killarney."
He insisted none of the Sinn Féin members arrested had anything to do with vigilante activity or with the Castleisland incident.
"We should not be fooled by any of this. What is happening is that eight weeks out from a hugely-important election in this State, there has been absolutely no debate on the issues at the heart of the campaign. Instead we have seen attempts by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Progressive Democrats and Labour to try and frighten people away from voting Sinn Féin."
He said allegations against Sinn Féin were unsubstantiated. The party was opposed to vigilantism.
Senior gardaí locally have denied the arrests are part of a targeting of Sinn Féin. The Castleisland incident was being investigated in the normal way, said a senior garda.