FINE GAEL TD Sean Conlan, who was arrested earlier this week, claims he was assaulted in his family pub by a man angry over Irish Water.
Conlan was arrested and questioned on Tuesday over an assault at Conlan’s pub on Sunday, 23 August.
The incident happened at around 8pm in the Ballybay pub after a row broke out.
A man in his 20s was allegedly assaulted and received minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment.
Conlan says that the man approached him over the utility because of his position in the government.
For the purposes of clarity I wish to make it known that I was in my family bar when an individual came into the bar, made his way directly over to me without buying a drink and attacked and assaulted me over Irish Water and the government’s handling of the water charges.
“I was assaulted because of my position as a TD. This is a direct attack on democracy.”
Conlan says he sustained an injury as a result of the attack and was referred for further tests and an MRI.
He said that he reported the assault to the local Garda sergeant the following day and made arrangements to attend to make a formal statement of complaint. He says that he was then arrested. He was later released without charge.
There was a clear and unambiguous understanding between the local Garda Sergeant and I that I was attending Castleblayney Garda Station by appointment to make my formal statement of complaint. I was not aware that I was going to be arrested and I was not arrested by appointment as stated by the Garda press office.
He also hit out at some of the media handling of the incident.
“Whilst I recognise the importance of the national media as a vital component of our democracy, I am deeply dissatisfied and aggrieved at the manner in which certain journalists leaned toward sensationalism over accuracy in conveying this story.”
The pub where the incident occurred is owned by the Conlan family, but is currently leased to a third party. It is beside the deputy’s constituency office.
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