Roscommon Senator Terry Leyden cancels pub opening after embarrassing row

Oireachtas envelopes used for invitations

Fianna Fáil senator Terry Leyden (FF).
Fianna Fáil senator Terry Leyden (FF).

Roscommon Senator Terry Leyden has cancelled an event in his family pub on Wednesday night following the disclosure that invitations were sent out in Oireachtas envelopes.

The event in the public house, which is designed as a replica of the Dáil bar, was due to be attended by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and most of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.

In a statement today Senator Leyden said that when he sent out the invitations using Oireachtas envelopes he believed this was permitted within the rules.

“However, I now accept that this was inappropriate and an error of judgment on my part.

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“The Oireachtas has been fully reimbursed for this mistake,” said Mr Leyden.

The new public house in Mr Leyden’s home village of Castlecoote opened today and an awards ceremony was planned for Wednesday night.

The pub licensee is Mr Leyden’s wife Mary, and their son Conor is the bar manager.

Stephen Collins

Stephen Collins

Stephen Collins is a columnist with and former political editor of The Irish Times