Independent TD Catherine Connolly has said it is unacceptable that a person's privacy has been invaded in what she said was a disrespectful manner as part of an attempt to damage a presidential candidate.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Ms Connolly had tried to hire a former member of Republican socialist party Éirigí to work at Leinster House who had been sentenced to six years in jail by the Special Criminal Court for gun crime.
Ms Connolly said the woman had been perfect for the job and was rehabilitated.
The Galway West TD has said she is really concerned at the way the information had become public and she questioned the purpose behind the revelations.
"There are very serious questions to be answered here as to how this vetting process has become public and for what purpose," she said.
"And it would seem to me that this unfortunate private person is suffering collateral damage as part of an attempt to damage a presidential candidate."
She said she was well able for the scrutiny but she said it was unacceptable that a person's privacy had been invaded in such a blatant, disrespectful and damaging manner.
Mss Connolly was campaigning in Cork today.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael's Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys has said that she is really looking forward to the second debate tomorrow.
The three presidential candidates will be questioned on RTÉ's The Week in Politics programme at 12pm.
"I want to set out my vision as a President for everybody and I want to be a President that unifies."
Ms Humphreys also said that she wants to represent Ireland with pride on the world stage.
The former minister was in Tuam and Galway city today where she was joined on the canvass at times by junior ministers Hildegarde Naughten and Seán Cannney.
Asked about a newspaper story in relation to Fianna Fáil's Jim Gavin, she said those questions should be put to the candidate as she did not know the detail.
All three presidential candidates are continuing to canvass support in what may be a crucial campaign weekend.
Mr Gavin will this afternoon focus his canvassing on north Dublin after meeting with voters in Kilkenny yesterday.
In exactly three weeks' time votes will begin to be counted in the election, but for now though, those votes are still up for grabs.
