Courts

Former TD appears in court on cocaine driving charge

Colm Keaveney did not speak during brief hearing at Tuam District Court

Colm Keaveney. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Colm Keaveney. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
John Fallon
Tue Jun 11 2024 - 15:48

A former TD accused of driving under the influence of cocaine has had his court case adjourned until next September.

Colm Keaveney, with an address at Kilcrevanty, Tuam, Co Galway, appeared before Tuam District Court on Tuesday morning.

The 53-year old faces one count of driving with cocaine in his system. The offence is alleged to have happened on June 12th last year at Cummer in Tuam, Co Galway.

The former Labour and Fianna Fáil TD was a councillor on Galway County Council for the past five years but did not seek re-election at the weekend.

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Mr Keaveney was not in court when the matter briefly came before court in January and April but was present at Tuam District Court on Tuesday. The defendant did not speak during the brief hearing before Judge James Faughnan.

When his case was called his solicitor Gearoid Geraghty said he was looking for a date for a hearing. He said there was a legal issue in the matter which he would put the State on notice of in advance.

Mr Keaveney is before the court charged with driving a vehicle with cocaine in his system and that the concentration of the drug – known as Benzoylecgonine – in his blood was greater than the legal threshold, contrary to the Road Traffic Act of 2010.

Mr Keaveney was first elected to the Dáil as a Labour candidate in 2011. He then became an Independent before joining Fianna Fáil in 2013.

He lost his Dáil seat in 2016 but was elected to Galway County Council as a Fianna Fáil candidate in 2019.

Judge Faughnan adjourned the case to September 10th, when it will come before another sitting of Tuam District Court.