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Luke Ming Flanagan Niall Carson/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Flanagan to address Dáil amid claims he denied penalty points were wiped

The independent TD was asked if he had penalty points wiped from his licence last December but denied he had. He intends to address the Dáil this evening.

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

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    Mute honey badger
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    Feb 20th 2024, 8:13 PM

    A quick google sesrch. Page 1.
    Here’s some interesting headlines from 2019:
    “Sinn Féin defends right to hold $500-a-plate US dinners after criticising Fine Gael fundraiser”
    “Sinn Féin fundraising passes $15 million total in America after New York dinner”

    Another from 2021:
    “$1,000-a-plate golf fundraiser in US not a ‘Galway tent scenario’, says Sinn Féin TD”

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    Mute Sean O'Callaghan
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    Feb 21st 2024, 1:52 AM

    @honey badger: Ah it is perhaps just designed to protect the miscreants who were sent offside.
    Kiddie fiddlers like Meehan and the rest? Talk to me Mary. Mc G and others don’t feature in your rhetorical bullmanure

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    Mute Liam23
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    Feb 20th 2024, 9:44 PM

    Ther was no sign of Mary Sue at the latest march for Palestine last weekend in Dublin yet she turns up in London at one. She seems to be dodging a lot of marches on Ireland letely

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    Mute Thomas Sheridan
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    Feb 21st 2024, 12:18 AM

    SINN Fein – a party not even in power, and already they announced that they won’t accept the will of the voters in the upcoming referendum.
    Why are we not surprised.

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    Mute honey badger
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    Feb 20th 2024, 8:54 PM

    @DGQ: The PIRA murdered 338 Catholics. If you’re a big fan of their work, don’t be ashamed of that work. Own it.

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    Mute Jack Moss
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    Feb 20th 2024, 9:25 PM

    SF going to see president Joe in the White House on St Patrick’s day then turn on the crocodile tears for the Palestinian people when they get back to Ireland . Hypocrites .

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    Mute Sun Rise
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    Feb 20th 2024, 11:06 PM

    An Irish Unity summit in New York…..bring the begging bowl.

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    Mute John Duggan
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    Feb 20th 2024, 11:39 PM

    hi mary, are ye goin to give us up north a tv licence amnesty too?

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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Feb 21st 2024, 8:42 AM

    Of course it’s a fundraising trip!
    Why was it not held in Iceland or somewhere else. My question is what is why do SF need all the funds for??

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    Mute Sean O'Callaghan
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    Feb 21st 2024, 1:40 AM

    Has the money from the Northern Bank heist run out? Is Shergar still alive? Some Sire!! Have Eddie and
    Rose spent all their ill gotten gains? Is Naomh Fionbarra really a sports club?

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Feb 21st 2024, 7:56 AM

    Teams and Skype exists.

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    Mute Kevin O Brien
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    Feb 20th 2024, 9:32 PM

    It wount be long now!

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