The Fine Gael senator Martin Conway has announced his resignation from the parliamentary party only days after being re-elected to the Seanad.
Mr Conway’s resignation comes after he said he was arrested following an incident on January 22nd on Dublin’s O’Connell Street and he was later released without charge.
In a statement released by Fine Gael this morning following a report in the Sunday Independent, Mr Conway said he would like to apologise to family, colleagues, supporters and his nominating body Vision Ireland.
“In the early hours of Tuesday, January 22nd, I was arrested by An Garda Síochána on O’Connell Street, Dublin 1, for being in an intoxicated state due to consumption of sleeping tablets and alcohol. I was detained at Store Street Garda station and subsequently released without charge a number of hours later,” Mr Conway said.
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“This was not disclosed to the party.
“I would like to apologise unreservedly for this to my family, colleagues, supporters and my nominating body, Vision Ireland. I let myself down. I would also like to apologise to the members of An Garda Síochána for having to deal with this matter.
“I have resigned from the Fine Gael parliamentary party.
“I understand that a disciplinary process will now commence.”
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In a statement, Fine Gael said it noted “Senator Martin Conway’s statement, apologies and his resignation of the party whip”.
“The matter is now subject to a party disciplinary process,” it said.
Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he became aware of the incident on Sunday morning but was not aware of the background to the arrest.
Speaking to RTÉ radio, Mr Martin said: “As he said himself, he’s left himself down. It’s very challenging for his family, and I think he needs time now to – on a personal level – endeavour to rebuild his life and maybe deal with perhaps the issues that led to that arrest.”
An Garda Síochána has confirmed that gardaí on patrol in the O’Connell Street area had an interaction with a male in the early hours of January 22nd.
It said that all interactions had now fully concluded and no further details were being provided.
It is understood that no further action is being taken by the An Garda Síochána in the matter.
Speaking on RTÉ‘s The Week in Politics, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, a Fine Gael TD, said he was “very disappointed” to hear Mr Conway’s statement and confirmed that a disciplinary process was under way in the party.
In relation to Mr Conway’s failure to disclose the incident, he said: “We sign a party pledge committing to uphold standards and informing the party of instances like these.”
A native of Co Clare, Mr Conway (50) has been a senator since 2011, and is the first visually impaired member of the Oireachtas, having been born with congenital cataracts. A frequent representative for his party in media appearances, he has also campaigned on disability issues. He was spokesman on justice and equality in the previous Seanad.
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