The Fianna Fáil TD, Mr G.V. Wright, was fined €900 and banned from driving for two years yesterday for drink-driving. No further charges were brought against the Dublin North deputy who had publicly admitted knocking down a woman pedestrian in a road accident on the North Strand, Dublin, on September 18th.
The prosecuting garda in the case, Garda Fergal Flynn, who last month sought an adjournment for possible further charges, declined to comment after the case yesterday.
Garda Flynn told Dublin District Court yesterday there would be no further charges, and Mr Wright's solicitor, Mr Martin Kennedy, said his client would be pleading guilty.
Garda Flynn said he went to the scene of a traffic accident involving a pedestrian and a motorist, Mr Wright.
After speaking to Mr Wright, he said, he got a strong smell of alcohol from his breath and arrested him.
He was taken to Store Street Garda station where he provided a breath sample which gave a reading of 67 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath.
Mr Wright was very co-operative, the garda said in response to a question from Judge James Scally as to whether he had given "any bother",
Mr Kennedy said Mr Wright accepted he had made a mistake and had publicly acknowledged that. "He accepted his responsibility and apologised to the lady who was injured."
Judge Scally interrupted to say there was only one charge before the court.
The court heard that Mr Wright was married, with three children, and living in Malahide. "His first visit to this court last month was his first time in court," Mr Kennedy said.
He had no previous convictions and was not seeking a postponement of the driving ban which the court had to impose.
Judge Scally said that he had no discretion but to impose a two-year disqualification, but he noted that Mr Wright had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity.
The judge said he needed to know his income in assessing the level of fine to impose, subject to a maximum of €1,270.
Mr Kennedy explained that his earnings would be "reasonably substantial".
Judge Scally said that, compared to other people who were before the court, he was a man with "substantial means".
Mr Kennedy replied: "Reasonably substantial. He is prepared to accept that."
Judge Scally gave Mr Wright a month to pay the €900 fine, applied a two-year driving ban and endorsed his driving licence.