Gardaí have denied strip searching a woman who was arrested after a protest outside Leinster House - despite claims by People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett made under Dáil privelege.

Members of the Dáil are protected by the Constitution from being sued for defamation, so long as they are in the chamber when a statement is made.

However, following this recent incident, some have argued that this Dáil privelege is becoming overused.

Irish Examiner special correspondent Mick Clifford told Newstalk Breakfast that a 'speak first, ask questions later' attitude has developed in the Dáil.

"It's definitely been used in a manner, I would suggest, to attract publicity, and often [these claims] turn out to be without any factual basis whatsoever," he said.

"Despite that, we never hear apologies from TDs who have used it in that manner and subsequently have been found to be baseless."

Mr Clifford also said that there is no evidence to support Deputy Boyd Barrett and his colleagues' claims, and that their statements have allowed an unfaithful image of Irish police to be spread worldwide.

You can listen back to the full interview here:

Main image: Solidarity-People Before Profit's Ruth Coppinger (left) Richard Boyd Barrett (centre) and Paul Murphy speaking to media at Leinster House, Dublin, as the Dail returns after a break. Picture date: Wednesday March 19, 2025. Image: PA Images / Alamy