The Galway woman at the centre of a controversy which resulted in the resignation of the former junior minister Mr Bobby Molloy, is embroiled in a three-day standoff with clamping officials in the city.
The dispute began when Ms Anne Naughton refused to settle an €80 fine for illegal parking, claiming she had not broken the law.
The clamping firm says it won't release her white Honda Integra car until she pays. The vehicle is parked on a pavement close to Eyre Square, Galway's main thoroughfare.
Ms Naughton came to public prominence three months ago when it emerged she had written to Mr Molloy in relation to the rape trial of her brother, Patrick.
Patrick Naughton, of Camus, Connemara, was convicted of raping his daughter over a 10-year period.
Mr Molloy resigned over the matter when it emerged that he had contacted a member of the judiciary about the case.
Ms Naughton later apologised for any confusion and upset that her actions had caused.
Last night she said she was moving office furniture from premises in Bothar Irwin shortly after 8 p.m. last Tuesday, at a time when businesses in the area had closed.
Having loaded the car she had left it for "several minutes", when the clamping firm employed by Galway City Council arrived.
Its representatives placed a clamp on one of her car wheels.
Ms Naughton said she called gardaí, who arrived on the scene and witnessed the incident.
She said the clamping firm staff were rude and did not want to hear any explanation from her.
She has a residential parking permit for the area, which was displayed on her windscreen yesterday.
Bothar Irwin, a narrow road close to Eyre Square, has disc parking places and a loading bay opposite the pavement where Ms Naughton's car is located.
The clamped Honda aroused some interest among passers-by yesterday.
Ms Naughton has stuck notices on its windows apologising to the owners of a children's clothes shop located close by.
A man looking after her vehicle while she took a break yesterday afternoon asked this reporter for cigarettes.
A lorry driver who came down to look said he had little sympathy for Ms Naughton as her car was right up on the pavement.
Clampers Ltd said yesterday that the matter was one for Galway City Council to comment on. A spokesman for Galway City Council said that the council and gardaí were dealing with the matter.
