Fine Gael TD Tom Barry has admitted that he had been drinking before he pulled a female TD on to his lap in the Dail chamber during a break in Wednesday night's debate.

"I went into the Dail bar but I wasn't drinking excessively. There was nothing pre-meditated, it was stupid, it was disrespectful," he told the Irish Independent.

Mr Barry was given a verbal warning in a phone call from the party's general secretary, Tom Curran, for the incident, which involved Deputy Aine Collins.

Last night he apologised for his actions and said that he was extremely embarrassed by the incident.

Full reports: Pages 4-5

Irish Independent