Il politico di Fine Gael arrestato dopo essere stato trovato ubriaco e “a quattro zampe” in O’Connell Street di Dublino

Wonder if it was Kate O’Connell again. 

Honestly, considering the shit that goes on thar Street this is very tame

Ooohhh…. had a tough week?

They’ll probably say someone from SF laced their €25 bottle of sparkling water with some IRA produced poitín

Doggy style..

A Fine Gael politician was arrested after being found extremely drunk “on all fours” on Dublin’s O’Connell Street last month.
The Sunday Independent can reveal that the politician — who was also separately at the centre of a party investigation over inappropriate behaviour towards a female staffer — was arrested on O’Connell Street, close to the Gresham Hotel, after he was discovered unable to get up due to his level of intoxication on January 22.

The incident happened just hours before the Dáil was forced to disband after a failed attempt to elect Micheál Martin as Taoiseach amid the row over speaking time for Independent TDs who were supporting the Government.

Gardaí arrested the elected representative and took him to Store Street garda station. He was later released without charge.

A statement from Garda HQ to this newspaper said: “Gardaí on patrol in the O’Connell Street area had an interaction with a male in the early hours of January 22, 2025. Any interaction with An Garda Síochána has fully concluded. An Garda Síochána is not providing any further details.”

The politician was contacted for comment. It is understood that An Garda Síochána does not intend to seek criminal charges against the man.

A spokesperson for Fine Gael said: “The party was not aware that the politician had been arrested prior to the media query.”

The man’s arrest in the early hours of Wednesday, January 22, took place just hours before the Dáil reconvened in order to elect Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin as the new Taoiseach.

However, amid chaotic scenes over a row about a bid to give government-supporting Independents opposition speaking time, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspended the Dáil and Mr Martin was not appointed Taoiseach until the next day.

The Irish Independent previously revealed that the same Fine Gael politician had to apologise to a female political staffer over inappropriate behaviour.

This incident happened in a bar near Leinster House following an event attended by several Fine Gael politicians and staff members.

The young woman was working for a TD — not the politician who caused the offence at the time. The politician was drinking in the bar and the young woman began speaking to him. The incident happened during this conversation.

She did not make a complaint at the time. However, the incident emerged over a year later while Fine Gael was conducting a ­disciplinary investigation into another party ­figure.

​During the course of an interview with a witness on that issue, the incident with the politician in the bar was disclosed.

Party officials began a separate parallel investigation and contacted the politician concerned.

Following a lengthy process, he apologised to the young woman. The apology was accepted and no further action was taken by the party.

It took place before Simon Harris’s term as party leader, but the Tánaiste is aware of it.

The politician has run as an election candidate for Fine Gael under Mr Harris’s leadership.

The investigation took place after the 2019-2020 round of five elections — the local elections, European elections, Dáil by-elections, Dáil general election and Seanad general election.

In the past year, the politician’s candidacy became an issue again. However, Fine Gael still ran him as a candidate.

During the election campaign, a minister even endorsed the politician and told Fine Gael voters to support him, although it is not clear whether the minister was aware of the previous incident.

The indignity of being a politician

Fair play to the Ditch for breaking this story. Wouldn’t see it in an FFG rag like the Sindo