Labour leader Alan Kelly has apologised after he was photographed not wearing a face covering on public transport.
In a statement, Mr Kelly explained that "while getting the Luas home last night I obviously inadvertently didn't have my mask on for a period and I want to apologise for this mistake".
"I was distracted while watching the Man United match on my phone and adjusting my headphones at the same time.
"We all make mistakes. Sorry," he said.
The Labour Party said that the photo, published by the Irish Independent, shows a mask hanging from Mr Kelly's ear.
In his statement, Mr Kelly insisted that he is a strong supporter of the public health guidelines.
Last month, he criticised the Health Service Executive and Health Protection Surveillance Centre for issuing "confusing and incoherent" advice, which he believed was leading people to believe that visors as effective as cloth face coverings.
