Former TD admits to driving under influence of cocaine

 A former TD has admitted to driving under the influence of cocaine, after being stopped at a checkpoint in Co Galway, in June 2023.

Colm Keaveney pleaded guilty to a charge of drug driving, and to two other charges of driving without insurance, at Tuam District Court this afternoon.

After being adjourned on more than ten occasions already, the matter was back before Judge James Faughnan.

Sergeant Christy Browne told the court that former TD Colm Keaveney had been arrested at a checkpoint on 12 June, 2023 and failed a drug test

Sergeant Christy Browne told the court that Mr Keaveney had been arrested at a checkpoint on 12 June, 2023 and failed a drug test.

Subsequent analysis of a blood sample revealed the presence of cocaine.

In late July 2024, he was stopped on two separate occasions for failing to display a valid insurance disc.

The court was told Mr Keaveney has two previous convictions, the most recent dating from last July, when he was fined €250 and banned from driving for four years.

That sentence related to an incident in Boyle, Co Roscommon in October 2024, when Mr Keaveney failed to stop after a collision with another vehicle and subsequently failed to provide a blood or urine sample.

Defence solicitor Gearóid Geraghty told the court his client was a former public representative who "fell into addiction" and had abused cocaine.

Mr Geraghty said the accused's brother had died in 2016 and that he had been left as the sole carer for his elderly parents.

He said the 54-year-old was "acutely aware" of the impact of his actions and that he was in aftercare, after completing a 28 day residential treatment programme for his addiction.

The court heard the former TD was "blissfully unaware" that he had no insurance in 2024, having switched providers and changed address prior to the offence being detected.

Mr Geraghty told Judge Faughnan that Mr Keaveney’s parents had died within seven days of each other and that his client had suffered significantly over a period of time, as a result of the publicity generated by the case.

He said Mr Keaveney was now on disability allowance and was willing to engage in community service, if the Court considered such a sentence appropriate.

Judge Faughnan acknowledged the "significant fall from grace" experienced by the accused.

He said that a probation report was warranted, particularly in light of the aftercare being provided, following completion of a drug treatment programme.

The case has been put back to November to allow for completion of the report.

This afternoon’s hearing was also told that expenses totalling almost €2,000 had been incurred as a result of evidence given by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety in relation to the case.

Mr Geraghty said it had been important to examine the manner in which his client’s blood sample had been stored and analysed.

Mr Keaveney was elected as a Labour TD for Galway East in 2011 but later left the party and joined Fianna Fáil. He lost his Dáil seat in 2016 and went on to serve on Galway County Council.