The leader of the Seanad, Mr Donie Cassidy, was stopped by a garda while driving in a bus lane yesterday morning, but was allowed to continue on his way to Leinster House without sanction. Mr Cassidy, from Castlepollard, Co Westmeath, was stopped for driving in a bus lane on the Navan Road in Dublin. He was on his way to the Seanad where the main debate was on motor insurance for young people.
Later he admitted that he had been stopped by a garda and explained that he had feared the heavy traffic would prevent him arriving in the Seanad in time. Because of this worry he pleaded privilege and, he said, the garda had been understanding and had not issued him with a ticket.
A spokesman for the Garda Press Office said last night that it had no knowledge of the incident, but that a garda had power to exercise discretion after stopping a motorist.