3 August 2012 Last updated at 12:02 ET

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames' car is seized over tax disc

Irish police have seized a car belonging to a senator in the Republic's parliament because her vehicle did not have a valid tax disc.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has apologised, and said she was "completely in the wrong".

She is a member of Fine Gael, the biggest party in the Republic's coalition government and represents the Galway West constituency.

Ms Healy Eames described her failure to display her tax disc as "an oversight".

Officers seized her car during rush hour traffic last month.

In a statement on Friday, Ms Healy Eames said: "On 2 July I was stopped by gardai in Galway city and found not to have a valid tax disc. This was due to an oversight on my part.

"I was completely in the wrong. The car is now taxed. I wish to apologise to the gardai and the public."

The former primary school teacher and college lecturer was first elected to Seanad Eireann (the Irish Senate) in July, 2007.

She is the current Fine Gael spokesperson for education and science.

On her personal website, she lists "campaigning for immediate solutions to Galway city's traffic problems" among causes that she has supported.