Sinn Féin's Martin Ferris said today he was embarrassed and disappointed at his arrest on suspicion of drink-driving.
The Kerry North TD stressed he believed he was under the limit after drinking a glass of wine and two pints before being stopped at a garda checkpoint less than a mile from his home in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The former IRA gun runner was so confident he would not fail a breath test that he got in to his car despite seeing gardaí around 50 metres down the road.
"I am worried and I'm embarrassed, obviously, and I'm very disappointed in myself for what has happened," he said. "It might be a good thing long term, not just for me but for other people out there, that there's the possibility that even with two drinks that you may fail a breathalyser.
"I suppose the only way you are safe is not to have any drink."
Mr Ferris said he drank a glass of red wine with his daughter during dinner at around 7pm on Saturday night before going to the racetrack in Tralee for a Night at the Dogs for Asdee Football Club where he drank three bottles of water.
Mr Ferris said he then went to Ardfert after 11pm to meet club manager Pat Driscoll, where he had two pints.
"I saw the gardaí, I got into my car, I thought I was ok, well under the limit," he told Kerry Radio. "They stopped me, they asked me to blow into the breathalyser, I did, and it came up failed."
Mr Ferris said he was asked to give a second breath sample in the car, which he failed again.
He was arrested on suspicion and brought to Tralee Garda Station where a doctor was called to take a urine sample before Mr Ferris was released.
The results of the test should be known within two weeks, when a decision will be made on whether he will be prosecuted.
"I await the results of the test and I'm hoping that it will come back okay, and if not I put my hands up."
Mr Ferris said there was an onus on all people in public life to show example, but hoped voters in the upcoming general election would not judge him.
"I would like that people wouldn't judge me on just this one instance, but on my overall contribution to political life in North Kerry.
"I just hope that I am under the limit, but its still not an excuse, even if I am under the limit I have had a drink and drove and I shouldn't have done that," he added.