O'Donoghue: I handled expenses controversy badly

Former minister John O'Donoghue has admitted that he handled the expenses controversy badly.

Mr O'Donoghue legitimately claimed hundreds of thousands of euro in expenses while he was a minister and as Ceann Comhairle.

The ex-Fianna Fáil politician spoke publicly today for the first time since he lost his seat in the general election in February.

Mr O'Donoghue says he is not finished with politics and will run again.

He insisted that anything he had done was in the interests of the country.

"I handled it very badly and I do accept that there were excesses," he said.

"Those excesses were right across the system and I regret that I didn't keep my eye on the ball, I apologise for that."

However he insisted he had never been a person who insisted on luxury comforts or top-class hotels.