 Begg holds master's degree in International Relations from DCU and a PhD in Sociology from Maynooth University.After the "Jobstown Protest" in November 2014, which saw a "sit down" protest occur in front of Tánaiste Joan Burton's car, David Begg stated that he believed that Burton's assistant, Labour Party official Karen O'Connell, was beaten and kicked.These claims were not clearly corroborated or found to form a basis for conviction, and at a trial on public order and other offences all defendants were acquitted on all charges.