The Department of Justice has refused to confirm or deny whether the Minister, Mr O'Donoghue, was a passenger in his official Mercedes car when it was stopped by gardai in Co Kerry last month, writes Miriam Donohoe, Political Reporter. A spokesman for the Minister refused to comment on newspaper reports that the Minister's car was doing more than 90 m.p.h. when it was stopped in early September. He said as it was a Garda-controlled car being driven by a Garda driver it was a matter for the Garda to comment.
A Garda spokesman confirmed to The Irish Times that the Minister's car was stopped after exceeding the speed limit last month. However, he refused to say who was in the car. He said no charges would be pressed. Garda officers are exempt from observing the speed limits in certain circumstances.
