Peter Casey has called on Facebook to improve its complaints process in order to safeguard vulnerable people and children from cyber bullying.

Mr Casey made the comment after his photograph was used without his consent as a profile pic on a shadowy Facebook page called Right Wing Ireland.

“I have contacted Facebook using its own complaints process to have a profile pic of me removed from the Right Wing Ireland page. I’ve had zero response so far.

“If a runner-up in an Irish Presidential election and contender for Dail Eireann can’t get Facebook to help, how can naive, innocent and vulnerable children expect to be helped by the social media giant.

“The cumbersome automated process is flawed to say the least and is failing those who are being bullied on the platform. Social Media platforms have to do better than this to protect all of our young people.

“In my case, this is grown up bullying and I can take it – but so many of our youth cannot, often with terrible consequences. Facebook has a lot of questions to answer and actions to take in order to clean up its act.”

Mr Casey accused those managing the Right Wing Ireland Facebook page of attempting to smear his campaign to be elected to the 33rd Dáil.

“Sinister forces are at work linking me with a Facebook page called Right Wing Ireland. I do not know who is behind this weak attempt at sabotage and I wish to make it clear that I do NOT have any affiliation with the page.

“The profile picture of me which features on the page has been used without my consent. Such dirty tricks are no more than an attempt by shadowy online figures to smear my campaign to honestly represent the people of Donegal on issues that really matter to them.

“I have reported the page to Facebook and await a response. I totally condemn those behind this attempt to stir up unnecessary hysteria in order to promote their political agenda.”