Catherine Martin has called for more “clarity” surrounding Barry Cowen’s drink-driving ban.
The Green Party deputy leader said the Agriculture Minister has “strenuously denied” allegations over the weekend.
However, she insisted “more clarity” was needed.
Ms Martin told Newstalk: “I think it was a very serious mistake but I think minister Cowen has both recognised it and hopefully learned from it.
“He did suffer the punishment at the time and there was a lot of negative and humiliating coverage last week and rightly so and he said that himself.
"What we’ve had at the weekend are some further allegations which he subsequently strenuously denied – in fact, I see he’s looking for Garda records relating to the case to be changed.
“He did come out with clarification very quickly and we need to see how that will progress.
“More questions have arisen and more clarity is needed.”
It follows a statement by Mr Cowen accusing gardai of criminality and of leaking an alleged “incorrect” Garda report.
The minister disputed reports he tried to evade an officer on the night he was found to be drink-driving in September 2016.
He said it was a “criminal offence” for a Garda to release such details about him to a newspaper and it is a “disgraceful attempt” to cause him “the maximum personal and political harm”.
Mr Cowen’s statement said the article in the Sunday Times – which appeared in the paper on Sunday – refers to an incorrect Garda record.
The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission is expected to be asked to investigate the alleged leak.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fail Meath TD Thomas Byrne has denied that he was responsible for disclosing Cowen’s drink-driving ban to the media.
The Minister of State for European Affairs said he and Mr Cowen were on “good terms” and it’s “pretty clear” he was not the source of the story.
