The interview on Newstalk radio came after a leaked recording of a phone conversation between Mr Fleming and his ex-wife, Tina Mitchell, which is now subject to an ongoing garda investigation.

Mr Fleming said: "I am gay. I am finally living my truth. I knew every day I walked in life wasn’t me – I was trapped in my own creation.

“This is not how I wanted to do this [but] my hand was forced on this one.” 

Mr Fleming went on to describe the breakdown of his marriage with Ms Mitchell in September, after almost 20 years together.

"We separated on September 17. For at least 10 or 13 years of marriage, we were very happy, but small cracks started to appear - mainly from me,” said Mr Fleming.

He said the hardest part "was the energy and the effort it took for this lie to be constantly covered".

“[I met Tina] in 2002 – I had what I call a bisexual phase and she knew. That was the very first thing that I said to her – that I had been in a relationship with a man six months prior. As the years went on, I just knew [I was gay] and it got harder. It became so difficult in the end.

“The relationship drifted and had different directions. We were always in each other’s pocket, and like thousands of marriages every day, we started to drift apart.” 

He said that while he initially tried not to stray from his marriage, his own desire for intimacy ultimately took precedence, leading to a lengthy battle with guilt and substance abuse.

“Alcohol and substances, I medicated with them, they were a painkiller,” said Mr Fleming.

“It was across a broad spectrum of prescription medication, illegal substances, and alcohol, all of the above I dabbled with.” 

During the same month of the breakdown of his marriage, Mr Fleming admitted to an attempted suicide, after which he received treatment at St Patrick’s University Hospital in Dublin.

“I was admitted to St Pat’s on October 13,” said Mr Fleming.“On September 21, I attempted suicide.

“I had an overwhelming sense of absolute sadness and hopelessness. I was admitted for treatment of depression and anxiety.

“I initially felt like an absolute failure, that I had failed in every walk of life, in every thing I had done - like I wasn’t a real man.

“This was never meant for the public [but] on the first week of November, there was a phone call made from St Pat’s to Tina and my step-daughter Becky.

“It was recorded without my knowledge and leaked without my knowledge,” he added.

“Everybody was distressed [on the call], I don’t actually remember it because I was on medication. I thought it was my come to Jesus moment – my chance to speak my truth.

“They [his family] are all hurting at different levels and in different ways – there's anger, and I absolutely understand that."

Mr Fleming additionally addressed claims that he had put his wife at risk of sexual transmitted infections throughout his infidelity, in which he responded “absolutely not. I 100% didn’t put her at risk”.

“The only thing I can say is that I am absolutely remorseful and regretful for the hurt I've caused to the people I love in pursuing my truth – I own this," said Mr Fleming.

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.