Motorist gets licence restored after four year disqualification
Wednesday March 03 2010
A MOTORIST who had four previous drink driving related offences had his driving licence restored on application before Judge Alice Doyle at Wexford Circuit Civil Court last week.
Gerard McGrath, of 19 Meadow Park, Monamolin, Gorey, had been disqualified for four years at Gorey District Court on July 13, 2006, having failed to provide two specimens of his breath at Gorey Garda Station on June 6, 2004, to Garda Elaine Dalton.
Solicitor Maeve Donohoe told the court that the applicant had been disqualified for a period of four years. He made the application last June for restoration of his driving licence but this was refused by the court.
The applicant, she said, had a history of previous convictions, as he had a problem with alcohol.
Since then he had taken some action in relation to his problem and had attended the Holy Redeemer centre in Bray. The Centre had recommended that his driving licence should be restored. On the last occasion he was stopped he also had no insurance.
Kevin O'Doherty, State Solicitor, said the State accepted this man had rehabilitated and had not come to the attention of Gardaí since.
Gerard McGrath told the court that he had now addressed his drink problem. He understood he had a bad record for driving without insurance and excess alcohol.
'Should I get my driving licence back I have a job driving in Bray. I can hand in a letter from a Mr. Jim Ryan to that effect. I also have two children who reside in Bray, aged 12 and 11, whom I would be able to see more often should I have my driving licence,' he said.
The applicant gave a guarantee to Mr. O'Doherty that he would not drive until he handed in a current certificate of insurance at either Gorey or Enniscorthy Garda Stations.
Judge Doyle, in granting the application, restored the driving licence on condition that he produce a current certificate of insurance before driving.
