Roscommon County Manager Frank Dawson has rejected an allegation by Luke 'Ming' Flanagan that he "sorted out" penalty points for the Independent TD.

In a statement, Mr Dawson said he assumed he was the official Mr Flanagan was referring to in recent statements.

He said: "I utterly reject his allegations that I 'sorted out his penalty points issue' for him. I will take all necessary steps to protect my good name and reputation."

Mr Dawson said he is going to forward his account of the matter to the Garda Assistant Commissioner who is in charge of the investigation.

Mr Flanagan has claimed that two individuals, a garda officer and a council official, facilitated wiping his penalty points in two separate incidents involving the use of a mobile phone while driving.

Speaking on Shannonside Northern Sound radio earlier, Mr Flanagan said his own actions were "corrupt and stupid".

He said he accepted he had let down many people in his constituency, but would have to go before them knowing this at the next general election.

Mr Flanagan also said he did not believe he needed to consider his position.

Flanagan declined to buy hands-free kit

Independent TD Luke 'Ming' Flanagan used an allowance from the Oireachtas to purchase a new mobile phone in 2011 - but did not buy a hands free kit for his car, as many of his colleagues did.

Each TD and Senator is entitled to claim up to €750 every 18 months for mobile phone hardware, including handsets and car-kits, and insurance on their phones.

In September 2011, Mr Flanagan bought an iPhone 4 for €650, which he subsequently claimed back from the Houses of the Oireachtas.

This predated his two encounters with gardaí over using a mobile phone while driving, which occured in December 2011 and June 2012.

A Garda spokesman has confirmed that there is no legal exemption from penalty points for TDs travelling to or from the Dáil.

Under the Constitution (Article 15.13) members of the Oireachtas are "privileged from arrest in going to and returning from ... either House", but there is nothing to prevent them from being given penalty points.

Meanwhile, Independent TD Shane Ross has said Mr Flanagan was mad to embark on a campaign against a wrongdoing that he was involved in himself.

Mr Ross said his actions were "political insanity" and had been damaging to all politicians.

Last December, Mr Flanagan and three other TDs held a news conference calling for an independent inquiry into allegations that over 60,000 road traffic fines had been quashed.

Independent TD Mick Wallace said Mr Flanagan should have taken the penalty points.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Wallace said that the revelations did not change the bigger issue, which was that the termination of penalty points was widespread.

He said: "He's made a mistake. I've made plenty of mistakes in my life and I'm sure many people have. I won't be joining the queue to give him a kick".

Mr Wallace also said: "He's got to learn from it, but it doesn't change the bigger picture, the bigger issue, which is the fact that we have evidence of serious malpractice in the Garda Síochána. The termination of penalty points is widespread".

Roscommon County Council's executive met to consider allegations made by Mr Flanagan that a senior official of the local authority had "sorted out" a penalty points fine he was facing.

The Independent TD has denied that he instigated moves to have fixed penalties for road traffic offences removed on two separate occasions in 2011.