Dana car tyre was not tampered with

A Garda investigation into a tyre blowout involving a campaign car of presidential candidate Dana Rosemary Scallon has found no evidence of criminal damage.

The investigation commenced after the tyre blew out last Tuesday night as Ms Scallon and her team were driving towards the M4 toll near Kilcock, Co Kildare, while en-route to Dublin.

Ms Scallon said she made a complaint to gardaí after the AA team who were called to the scene told her the tyre was so “badly damaged they couldn’t give a definitive answer” as to the cause and so we “asked local gardaí to look into it”.

It was alleged that the tyre appeared to have been punctured up to 15 times. The car, a Peugeot 508 emblazoned with Dana posters, had been parked outside the Landmark Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, for several hours earlier in the day as Ms Scallon campaigned in the area.

A Garda spokesman said a technical examination of the tyre found no evidence of criminal damage.

Ms Scallon’s husband, Damien Scallon, who was driving at the time of the blowout, said he was glad the damage to the tyre had not been malicious.

He said he had received a call from a Garda superintendent at the weekend to inform him of the outcome of the investigation. He said he was told the tyre was being sent to manufacturer Michelin for them to evaluate it further.

A Michelin spokesman said a set procedure was followed when complaints arise about one of its tyres. It involves the tyre being sent to its base in Stoke-on-Trent, England and an expert assessing the cause of the problem.

Speaking after the incident, Ms Scallon said she believed was lucky to be alive.

“It was very scary to look at,” Ms Scallon said. “I think we are all very lucky to be here today. I never start a journey without saying a little prayer and I think we are all very lucky.”