McENTEE: I ACCEPT COWEN’S APOLOGY FOR DRINK-DRIVING
JUSTICE Minister Helen McEntee has said that Barry Cowen drink-driving home from a football game was ‘wrong’, but added she has accepted his apology.
The newly-appointed Agriculture Minister acknowledged the incident was a serious lapse of judgment.
Mr Cowen said he was embarrassed after it emerged last week that he was barred from driving for three months in 2016 after he was found to be drink-driving.
He was stopped at a checkpoint and breathalysed on his way home to Co. Offaly after an All-Ireland football final in Croke Park.
Ms McEntee, who was visiting Slane Garda station in Co Meath yesterday where she held a meeting with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, said the controversial incident ‘shouldn’t have happened’.
She added that the focus of the new Government should be on the nation’s road victims and their families.
‘What happened was wrong. It shouldn’t have happened and I think the minister has acknowledged what he did was wrong and I think what’s important at the time is that the law was applied,’ Ms McEntee added.
‘Obviously what was given out to the minister, he accepted it and took that – as he should have.
‘I think we need to focus on victims, those who have lost family members due to drinkdriving, making sure that we have measures in place that protect people, that make our roads as safe as possible.
‘Obviously there was a huge amount of changes implemented in the last government and we want to continue to implement them.’
Ms McEntee said Mr Cowen is to make a statement to the Dáil and answer questions on his driving ban.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he did not know until Friday about the Fianna Fáil deputy’s record and was disappointed he had not been told about it before. Mr Cowen, who was appointed Minister as part of the coalition deal to form the new Government, said over the weekend: ‘Maybe I should have stood up in the Dáil and led from the front and acknowledged my stupid mistake.’
He added: ‘I was not trying to keep it secret. I was trying to get on with my job.’