The Labour leader Joan Burton has lashed out at internet users who have waged a "demonic" campaign against the party's new senator Mairia Cahill.

The anti-abuse campaigner was earlier elected to the Seanad, filling the seat left behind by Labour's Jimmy Harte who retired in September due to ill-health.

But Cahill has faced criticism online for refusing to undertake public interviews or debates throughout the campaign - particularly as concern was raised about her past links to the Republican Network for Unity.

This afternoon after her election Mairia Cahill said the comments received online did not reflect the broad nature of the supportive comments she had received from the public as a whole.

When asked about that subject this afternoon, the Tanaiste Joan Burton intervened - and also hit out at the online campaign targeted against the new Senator in the last few weeks: