Fine Gael senator Martin Conway resigns from party after being arrested while intoxicated

Clare-based senator Martin Conway confirmed that he was the unnamed politician at the centre of news reports this morning.

Senator Martin Conway has resigned from Fine Gael. Picture:: Damien Storan.

Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway has resigned from the party after he confirmed he was arrested by Gardaí late last month.

The Sunday Independent reported that an unnamed Fine Gael politician was arrested for intoxication in January, with Mr Conway confirming in a statement that it was him.

“In the early hours of Tuesday, January 22nd, I was arrested by An Garda Síochána on O’Connell Street, Dublin 1 for being in an intoxicated state due to consumption of sleeping tablets and alcohol,” he said.

“I was detained at Store Street Garda Station and subsequently released without charge a number of hours later.” Mr Conway said that he did not disclose this to Fine Gael.

“I would like to apologise unreservedly for this to my family, colleagues, supporters and my nominating body, Vision Ireland. I let myself down. I would also like to apologise to the members of An Garda Síochána for having to deal with this matter.

“I understand that a disciplinary process will now commence.

Mr Conway’s resignation from the Fine Gael parliamentary party comes just days after he was re-elected to the Seanad.

He was first elected to the Seanad in 2011, and was the first visually impaired senator elected to the upper house of the Oireachtas, having been born with congenital cataracts.

A spokesperson for Fine Gael said that the party noted Mr Conway’s statement, as well as his apology and resignation from the parliamentary party.

“The matter is now subject to a party disciplinary process,” the spokesperson said.

Taoiseach 'surprised' by news

Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said that he was “surprised” by the news about Mr Conway.

“I don’t know the background to the circumstances of his arrest due to intoxication, as he said himself, too much alcohol with sleeping tablets,” Mr Martin told RTÉ’s This Week.

“But as he said himself, he’s let himself down. It’s very challenging for his family and I think he needs time now to, on a personal level, to rebuild his life and maybe deal with perhaps the issues that lead to that arrest.” 

Agriculture Minister and Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon said that he was “very disappointed” to see the incident happen.

“Ultimately we are held to a very high standard as Fine Gael public representatives, we sign a party pledge that commits to upholding those standards and to informing the party if incidents happen,” Mr Heydon said.

“The party wasn’t informed in this instance.” Mr Heydon told RTÉ’s This Week that he was unaware of Mr Conway’s position over his Seanad seat, but that an internal Fine Gael investigation would now take place.

Asked if this brought questions on the leadership of Fine Gael, Mr Heydon said what can the party do when a situation arises via a media report.

“It is clearly incumbent on an individual within the party who has signed a party pledge to be a Fine Gael candidate that if an incident arises, that they inform the party and that didn’t happen in this case.

“So, we’re dealing with it very much in real time.”