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Fines totalling \u20ac9,000 have been handed down to a Donegal haulage company over a series of road safety breaches.<\/p>\n
The case of Pat McGowan Transport, of Cappry, Ballybofey, was heard before Letterkenny District Court.<\/p>\n
The charges, relating to incidents in May, 2023 and October, 2025, involved vehicles being driven without a driver card being used.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charges were brought against Pat McGowan Transport and against Pat McGowan himself by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). Pleas to sample charges were accepted on a full facts basis while the court was told that charges against John McGowan, the company\u2019s transport manager, were withdrawn in light of the pleas being entered. \u00a0<\/p>\n
An inspector from the RSA told the court that a routine inspection was organised in June, 2023 and there was a later inspection to discuss the findings.<\/p>\n
Outlining the evidence to the State Solicitor for Donegal, Mr Kieran Dillon, the inspector said that there were some \u201cirregularities\u201d found in terms of the use of a driver\u2019s card. The court heard that there were discrepancies on three vehicles, which were being driven without a card at different times.<\/p>\n
On May 6, 2023 a vehicle was being driven for three hours and 47 minutes with no card. Pat McGowan informed an RSA official that a driver had called in sick and he had to complete the run.<\/p>\n
On May 30, 2023, a vehicle was driven for 55 minutes without a card. John McGowan advised the official that the truck in question was being used in the company yard as a \u201cshunter\u201d during that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cFifty-five minutes is a lot of driving for a yard that size,\u201d the RSA official told the court.<\/p>\n
The official said that in September 2023, he and another RSA inspector entered the premises at Cappry, where they showed their ID cards and warrant of appointment. They were met by John McGowan and advised that they need to obtain answers formally. However, Pat McGowan told them during the meeting: \u201cIf you carry on asking stupid questions, I\u2019m not going to answer them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The official said that the interview continued in that vein.<\/p>\n
He said that Pat McGowan came into the room and told the RSA officer that he had \u201can awful attitude.\u201d<\/p>\n
When informed that the RSA wished to put questions to them about vehicles being driven without a driver card, the reply was that these questions were already answered by email.<\/p>\n
The official told the court that \u201cthings got fairly aggressive and the conversation became heated\u201d at this point. The RSA officer said he had \u201cno option but to withdraw from the premises\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cIn 19 years as an enforcement officer, that was the first time that I had to leave because of attitude and lack of cooperation\u201d.<\/p>\n
The officer added that he was invited to leave the premises and was \u201cmore or less escorted\u201d off.<\/p>\n
The court heard that John McGowan attended the RSA office in Donegal Town and \u201cthings were improved\u201d during that meeting.<\/p>\n
Some days later, vehicles were brought to the Sligo Test Centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was full engagement after the initial issues,\u201d the officer told the court.<\/p>\n
Another officer gave evidence of another case against Pat McGowan Transport and driver Francois Fourie.<\/p>\n
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