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'More clarity' needed on details of Cowen's driving ban - Catherine Martin

Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin says there needs to be more clarity from Barry Cowen a...
Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

12.12 13 Jul 2020


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'More clarity' needed on detai...

'More clarity' needed on details of Cowen's driving ban - Catherine Martin

Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

12.12 13 Jul 2020


Share this article


Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin says there needs to be more clarity from Barry Cowen about the details of his drink driving ban.

Minister Cowen yesterday denied that he evaded or attempted to evade a garda during the incident in September 2016.

It followed a report in The Sunday Times yesterday detailing the Garda record of the arrest in 2016.

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Minister Cowen said the Garda record was "incorrect" and he is now seeking to have it corrected.

He also claimed that the record "can only have come into the possession of the newspaper through a criminal act".

An investigation into the possible leaking of information about the driving ban is being referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC).

Tourism Minister Catherine Martin today stressed that her Cabinet colleague Barry Cowen did show remorse in his Dáil apology about the driving ban - but that "more questions" arose over the weekend.

    

'More clarity' needed on details of Cowen's driving ban - Catherine Martin

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On the ban itself, Minister Martin told The Pat Kenny Show: "I think it was a very serious mistake - but I think Minister Cowen both recognised it and hopefully learned from it.

"There was a lot of negative and humiliating coverage last week - rightly so, and he said that himself.

"What we've had at the weekend are some further allegations, which he subsequently strenuously denied. In fact, I see he's looking for Garda records relating to the case to be changed.... I'm aware as well that there's a Garda investigation into the leaking of the information.

"More questions have arisen over the weekend, and more clarity is needed... I think we need that clarity. I can't really take a position until I get that clarity."

Main image: File photo of Catherine Martin. Picture by: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

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