TRANSPORT Minister Eamon Ryan has hit back at claims by County Limerick Independent TD Richard O’Donoghue that he had his bike transported to Limerick at the expense of the Government.
Minister Ryan was responding to a speech by Deputy O’Donoghue in the Dáil last week in which he stated that Ryan had his bike driven from Dublin to Limerick by a State driver in a State car.
In his response, Minister Ryan said he did not have a State-funded car or driver and that he drove to Limerick himself and borrowed a bike when he arrived in the city.
The Green Party leader was photographed cycling around the city to help promote the Limerick School Cycle Bus last March.
“You may have heard in a Dáil speech by TD Richard O’Donoghue last week; that I had my bike driven down to me in Limerick by a state driver in a state car,” he posted on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.
“I do not have a state car or driver. My bike also never left Dublin,” he added.
In a series of follow-up posts, he explained how he drove to Limerick in his own vehicle and subsequently borrowed a bike from a fellow Green Party member.
“I borrowed a bike from a local Green Party member in order to help promote the Limerick School Cycle Bus which does an amazing job organising a daily school run by bike for children and their parents
“If I was going to take my bike with me on a trip to Limerick, I would make use of the bicycle storage unit on board Irish Rail bike carriages,” he added.
