The Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath, has said he "was thrown under the bus" by some ministerial colleagues over controversial remarks he made about the implementation of drink-driving laws.
Speaking to Brendan O'Connor on RTÉ Radio 1, he said the reaction from the political system was a bit "over the top" and that he felt ganged up on.
He said that while Charlie Flanagan was doing his job as Minister for Justice, there was no need for Minister of State for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Patrick O'Donovan to say what he did.
At the end of last month Mr McGrath said that gardaí had become politicised and were carrying out unnecessary breathalyser tests because they opposed new drink-driving laws.
Today he reiterated that he should not have made the remarks and that he had accepted responsibility for that and withdrew the remarks.
Mr McGrath said he had zero tolerance for drink-driving.
He said sometimes he "put his foot in his mouth" and this, he said, was one of those occasions.
Mr McGrath said he was an Independent TD in Government and sometimes he lets his guard down and the "old Finian McGrath" comes out.
He said he had spoken to the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and apologised to him for his remarks.
