The office of Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin in Co Mayo has been damaged in a petrol bomb attack.

A unit from the Mayo County Fire Service attended the scene and the fire was quickly extinguished.

There was nobody in the office at the time and no injuries are reported.

The constituency office is located on John Street in the centre of the town, a few doors away from a post office.

“Gardaí are investigating an incident at my office in Ballina, Co Mayo,” said Ms Mulherin . “Thankfully, nobody was injured. I’m shocked that this could happen in a democracy. It was very upsetting for myself, my staff and my family. I await the outcome of the Garda investigation and will be making no further comment at this stage.”

Ms Mulherin has faced criticism this week after it emerged she made calls from Leinster House to a private phone in Kenya. The bill for the calls, which were made between 2011 and 2013, amounted to more than €2,000. On Tuesday night Ms Mulherin confirmed that she had paid €2,000 to the Oireachtas authorities who are investigating the phone bills.

She said she made the calls but that they were not personal in nature.