REVEALED: The BIZARRE message about a drink drive TD that this junior minister deleted from a private Fianna Fail WhatsApp group and why many will say it proves politicians are out of touch
Junior housing minister Christopher O'Sullivan posted a message in a private Fianna Fáil WhatsApp group praising drink-drive TD Malcolm Byrne as "always destined for greatness," attaching old footage of Byrne on the Late Late Show, then deleted it about an hour later once he realised the timing. The post came the same evening the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed Byrne had recorded a urine alcohol reading almost two and a half times the legal limit, and it landed badly with colleagues, one likening the reaction to "a fart in a lift," fuelling a wider sense that some politicians were tone-deaf to the seriousness of the case.
Byrne, who is due before the Criminal Court of Justice in Dublin on 2 November, has apologised and said he will "face up to whatever happens." Sources said O'Sullivan appeared not to have read that day's coverage, and the message went unanswered before being deleted at 7.45pm. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said precedent dictated that the courts, not the party, should determine any punishment, while several Fianna Fáil TDs expressed growing anger at Byrne's conduct, noting there could be "no excuses" for being so far over the limit.
In short
- Minister O'Sullivan praised drink-drive TD Byrne in a WhatsApp group, then deleted it
- Byrne tested nearly 2.5 times over the legal alcohol limit; court date set for 2 November
- Taoiseach says courts, not party, should decide any punishment
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Many will argue this episode genuinely exposes a culture of tone-deafness among politicians, regardless of intent. Praising a colleague as "destined for greatness" on the very evening his dangerously high drink-drive reading became public shows a troubling lack of situational awareness in someone entrusted with public responsibility, particularly around road safety. That the message was quietly deleted rather than acknowledged suggests instinctive damage control rather than genuine reflection, reinforcing a public perception that politicians manage optics before substance. Even colleagues privately likened the reaction to "a fart in a lift", suggesting the awkwardness was obvious to insiders too, lending weight to the view that this was a real, if minor, lapse in judgement.
The case against
A fair-minded reading would note this looks like an honest human error rather than calculated indifference. O'Sullivan reportedly had not yet read that day's coverage, so the message was an innocent, badly timed gesture of personal loyalty to a colleague and friend, not a considered dismissal of drink-driving. Private WhatsApp groups exist precisely so colleagues can speak candidly among themselves, and treating every such message as though intended for public consumption risks punishing politicians for having ordinary human relationships. His swift deletion once he grasped the context shows appropriate judgement rather than a cover-up, and the broader party response, including the Taoiseach's deference to due legal process and other TDs' open anger at Byrne's conduct, indicates the matter was taken seriously overall rather than brushed aside.
Explained simply
Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne is facing court after recording a urine alcohol reading nearly two and a half times the legal drink-drive limit. He is due before the Criminal Court of Justice in Dublin on 2 November, and has apologised, saying he will face the consequences.
The story centres on how some of Byrne's Fianna Fáil colleagues reacted in a private WhatsApp group used by the party. Junior housing minister Christopher O'Sullivan posted a message praising Byrne, along with old TV footage of him, on the same evening the case became public, then deleted it once he realised how it looked.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said it is up to the courts, not the party, to decide any punishment for Byrne. The episode has drawn attention because of the contrast between the seriousness of the drink-driving case and the apparently casual reaction from some party members, with several TDs said to be unhappy about how it has been handled.
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