Three taxis called for McDaid

THREE taxis were called for former minister Jim McDaid at the Citywest Hotel on the night of his arrest for drink driving.

He refused the first two and jumped out of the third before getting behind the wheel of his own car.

The TD, who had been drinking for more than five hours, drove the wrong way up a dual carriageway before being stopped and arrested.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday he was disappointed at the actions of his party colleague but insisted Dr McDaid should not resign. He said Dr McDaid had already unreservedly apologised and now understood the implications.

“The law now has to take its course and there should not be any political implications for Dr McDaid,” said Mr Ahern. “He will pay a heavy price. It would be nice if there were never any of these cases - but there are. It would be nice if there were none of these cases involving politicians but there are.”

One of the taxi drivers who arrived at the Citywest on Tuesday night to collect Dr McDaid yesterday confirmed: “Three cars were called for him.”

Dr McDaid had accepted an invitation to fly by helicopter to the races at Punchestown and spent most of the day there, drinking several glasses of wine in a corporate box between 3pm and 8pm.

“In those corporate boxes, they just keep topping up your glass,” he later said.

He was flown back to the Citywest, where staff attempted to get him a taxi.

The hotel rang a local firm, which sent out three cars between 8.30pm and 9pm, a firm employee said yesterday.

The man, who did not wish to be named, drove one of the taxis that arrived for Dr McDaid.

The TD refused to get into the first two, the taxi driver said, and jumped out of the third. Dr McDaid then got behind the wheel of his own car, which was in the hotel car park, and attempted to drive back to Dublin.

He ended up getting lost and driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway in Kildare, before being arrested sometime after 10pm.

Citywest chief executive John Glynn yesterday confirmed that the hotel had attempted to arrange a taxi for Dr McDaid.

“I asked him if he would like to stay the night, but he said he already had a hotel organised in the city centre,” Mr Glynn said.

“So I said we would organise a taxi for him and one of my staff, Fiona, called a taxi and Jim left here in a taxi around 9pm,” he said.

“I just cannot understand what happened next. It’s very unfortunate. I wouldn’t like to see that happening to anyone, let alone Jim, because he really is a thorough gentleman.

“Jim went out the hotel front door and left here in a taxi. I know that for certain. However, I know his car was parked down the drive in our car park.”

Mr Glynn said he was “gobsmacked” when he later heard of Dr McDaid’s arrest.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Mr Glynn said he would not be commenting further.

Dr McDaid could not be contacted. He has already apologised for his actions.

Meanwhile, Junior Health Minister Brian Lenihan said yesterday Dr McDaid “should be left in peace”.