A Fianna Fáil TD has been disqualified from driving for two years after being convicted for travelling at 190km/h on a motorway.

Michael Cahill, of Rossbeigh, Glenbeigh, Co Kerry, became a TD last year after serving 34 years as a councillor. He appeared before Fermoy District Court in Co Cork on Friday.

The 60-year-old, who is a party spokesperson on older people and tourism, was charged with dangerous driving at Ballinamona-Ballybeg, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, on March 13th, 2025. The offence was contrary to section 53 (1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961.

In a statement on Friday night, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the incident “was completely and utterly unacceptable”. Mr Martin said Mr Cahill has “rightly received his punishment in the courts, a decision he fully accepts”.

“As legislators, Dáil deputies have a particular responsibility to set the right example, and Deputy Cahill has accepted that this incident let down both his family and the wider community,” he said.

“He has also decided to step down from the Justice Committee. The matter will also be considered by the party’s Rules & Procedures Committee in due course,” the Taoiseach said.

Speaking outside court after being convicted, Mr Cahill apologised, saying: “This is an embarrassment for me, for my wife and adult children, who are actually annoyed with me to be here at all. I’m annoyed at myself.”

Mr Cahill said he was not making excuses for what occurred.

“I would be responsible and I know I’m in a position of making laws and carrying out improvement works to dangerous junctions and all of that. I’ve been doing that all my life as a councillor.”

In a later statement issued through Fianna Fáil’s press office, Mr Cahill said he would resign from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and will not appeal his conviction.

In court Gda Peter O’Loughlin said the dangerous driving occurred on the M8 outside Mitchelstown at 12.20pm. He told Judge Colm Roberts that an Audi Q5 overtook the entire flow of traffic at high speed.

He said the driver then “aggressively” came in extremely closely behind a van which was about to overtake an articulated lorry. In response, the van driver “pulled into lane one and allowed the Audi to pass at speed in lane two”.

Gda O’Loughlin said he drove after the Audi Q5 in an unmarked Garda car. The garda put flashing lights on, signalling that the motorist should pull over.

He said the driver did not immediately spot the flashing lights. It took about 4km or 5km before the driver noticed him and pulled over.

Gda O’Loughlin said the driver was travelling at about 190km/h. The patrol car had to drive at high speed to catch up.

Gda O’Loughlin said the driver turned out to be Mr Cahill, who was on his way to a function in Kerry.

Judge Roberts said the garda was measured and fair in his evidence. He noted that 2025 was a terrible year for deaths on Irish roads.

“Who does he [Cahill] think he is representing travelling at such speed? The number of deaths on our roads are up. I am sure his constituents have been dying on the roads as well,” said the judge.

“I am a judge and I have to show an example when I am driving. Sometimes you literally take your life in your hands on Irish roads. Of all people, he should be aware of that. Speed kills.”

He convicted Mr Cahill of dangerous driving and disqualified him from driving for two years. He imposed a €500 fine. He said the evidence against Mr Cahill was “compelling”.

Defence solicitor Ciaran O’Keefe said his client accepted the incident should not have occurred. However, he challenged the suggestion Mr Cahill’s driving was aggressive.

Speaking after the hearing, the Kerry TD said he was apologetic and “very embarrassed” by what had occurred.

“I left Dublin that morning. I had meetings that morning and I accommodated an interview with Radio Kerry, all of which delayed me,” he said.

“I was going to a very special event in Kerry that I had organised myself. Minister Michael Moynihan was coming down to St Mary of the Angels special school in Beaufort to meet with parents of children with profound disabilities.

“I was really anxious to be there as I had organised it. I am sorry this happened. I know better but things just went against me on the day big-time. I had been in the Dáil and in Leinster House from early that morning.