AN 18-year-old Carrigart woman has been disqualified from driving for three years after she pleaded guilty to drink driving at a recent special sitting of Letterkenny District Court.
Denise Doherty of Glenkeo, Carrigart, was stopped by Garda Fergus McGroary as he operated a checkpoint at Umlagh, Carrigart. He told Judge Derek McVeigh that on April 19 at 11.34pm he was operating the checkpoint and asked the defendant to perform a roadside breath test as he formed the opinion she was under the influence of alcohol. Doherty failed the test and was taken to Letterkenny Garda Station where she undertook a further breath test on the Intoxilyzer machine which produced a reading of 70 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
The court heard from the defendant's solicitor that her client was "extremely embarrassed" about appearing in court. She is 18 years old and lives at home with her parents. The court heard, however, that Doherty was dependant on her car to get to work at a local hotel and was aware that the conviction against her meant she was likely to lose her job.
In light of the guilty plea tendered to the court Judge McVeigh was asked to treat the case as leniently as possible.
Judge McVeigh imposed a fine of ¤800, giving the defendant five months to pay. He also imposed a mandatory driving disqualification of three year and postponed it until October 1.
Was double parked at rear of LYIT
A woman driver who parked on double yellow lines at the rear of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology was fined ¤300 at a recent sitting of the District Court.
A car belonging to Kathleen Cassidy, Carrick, Derrybeg was found parked on the double yellow lines at Gortlee by Garda Aidan Brennan on October 11 last.
Increase in education grants
DONEGAL students will be among the 56,000 third level students throughout the country who will receive a 10 per cent increase in their higher and further education grants from September next, according to Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal North East, Niall Blaney.
"This increase announced by Education Minister, Mary Hanafin, will mean an increase in the maximum rate of ordinary grant to ¤3,420 for 2007/08," said Deputy Blaney.
"Students who qualify will also have the student service charge paid on their behalf."
In addition, more than 12,500 students in receipt of the Special Rate of maintenance grant will benefit from an even more substantial increase of over 14%, with the maximum rate for 2007/08 increasing to ¤6,690.
