Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne’s drink‑driving case set for March 2027 hearing

Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne has had a court date fixed for his drink‑driving charge.

Byrne, 52, of Ramsgate Village, Gorey, Co Wexford, appeared before Judge Tom McSharry at Dublin District Court on Monday after being arrested by gardaí at a mandatory checkpoint in Dublin city centre while travelling from his hotel to Dublin Airport.

The charge relates to an incident on 28 May at Pearse Street Garda station, where a urine sample showed an alcohol concentration of 156 mg per 100 ml, exceeding the statutory limit of 67 mg. The offence, under section 4(3)(a) & (5) of the Road Traffic Act 2010, carries a maximum fine of €5,000 and/or up to six months’ imprisonment.

Byrne’s privately retained barrister, Peter Paul Hughes, requested disclosure of the prosecution’s evidence. Judge McSharry ordered the prosecuting garda, Anna Murphy, to provide the material by 27 February and scheduled the next hearing for 23 March 2027.

The TD, elected to the Dáil in 2024, stepped down as chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence following his arrest. His political career began with election to Gorey Town Council in 1998, included a term as a senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel (2020‑2024), and a return to the Dáil after winning the Wexford seat in 2024.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Phil Evenden / Pexels.