LUKE ‘MING’ FLANAGAN intends to address the Dáil today about claims that he had penalty points wiped from his record two years ago.

The independent TD has said that he will address the Dáil at 6pm today on a report at the weekend that he had two penalty points, imposed for driving while using his mobile phone, wiped from his licence in June 2011.

Flanagan said on Twitter at the weekend that he would reveal to fellow deputies how he was contacted by gardaí who he alleges asked him if he would like to have the penalty points wiped.

However it is claimed that Flanagan denied having points wiped when asked about the matter last year. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

A Twitter exchange on Christmas Day last year shows that the Roscommon-South Leitrim TD denied he had a “ticket from the Garda squashed”:

The Sunday Independent newspaper reported last weekend that Flanagan was stopped by gardaí in June 2011 and was issued with a €60 fine and two penalty points for using his mobile phone while driving.

As well as tweeting his intention to make a statement today, Flanagan also suggested that he was not just contacted by gardaí about the matter: “You’d be surprised to hear of the people who call you to offer to have points wiped. Not just Guards. Will tell all Tues.”

He intends to make a statement to the Dáil this evening at 6pm but it is not clear under which Dáil procedure the TD intends to address the chamber tonight.

Attempts to reach Flanagan yesterday were unsuccessful and the Dáil Whips’ Office was not aware of any request for speaking time when contacted yesterday.

Flanagan has been critical of gardaí and the government in the wake of revelations that penalty points were being wiped from driving licences of, among others, well-known public figures, some of whom have been named in the Dáil.

The matter is currently being investigated by a Garda Assistant Commissioner and the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter says he expects a report on the matter to be delivered to him in the coming weeks.

Flanagan has said previously that revelations about penalty points showed “quite clearly that in this country some people are more important than others”.

More: Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan to ‘tell all’ about wiping of penalty points from his licence