Fianna Fáil TD allegedly caught “twice the legal limit” awaiting court date

Wexford TD was on his way to Dublin Airport when he was pulled over by officers.

Byrne was arrested early on 28 May at a mandatory garda checkpoint, it was reported by the Irish Daily Mail that Byrne is suspected of having been almost two-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit.

In a statement in June, Fianna Fáil said Byrne was stopped close to the hotel, and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

During an appearance this morning (Tuesday) on South East Radio, Byrne was asked about a “possible impending court case”.

Byrne replied that he has been “as open and honest with people as I always have been”.

Byrne remarked that although there had been “all sorts of speculation” he doesn’t “have a court date as yet”.

“I’m fully cooperating with what is an ongoing investigation, and as I said, I’ll face up to whatever the consequences are,” said Byrne.

“I respect the court process, I respect the gardaí and the work that they have to do, and I’m fully cooperating with that.

“As soon as I’m in a position to be able to talk about it, I will certainly talk about it.”

Byrne had previousy remarked that “drink-driving is wrong, full stop” in the days after his arrest.

Meanwhile, Byrne remains a TD. His party leader and Taoiseach Micheál Martin last week said that he would not “pre-empt the outcome of any court case in respect of any particular individual at this stage”.

“We keep everything under review,” he added, “but there is no precedent in any political party for issues pertaining to the whip having applied to motoring offences, be they drink-driving offences or be they speeding offences.

“I think there’s been an attempt made to suggest that I’m somehow at odds with precedent or what’s happened, and that’s false.

“The courts are where the repercussions are going to happen.

“We will keep everything under review ourselves politically as a party, but the courts is where accountability has to happen in respect of this.”

Byrne claims that he informed Fianna Fáil of his arrest immediately after it happened.

He also stepped down as chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on AI.

Micheál Martin previously "terminated" Barry Cowen's appointment as Agriculture Minister when it emerged he had also been arrested for drink driving.

Mr Cowen served a three-month disqualification from driving at the time.