A judge spoke yesterday of the dangers of heavy goods vehicles driven by tired workers.
Judge Denis McLoughlin imposed a €2,500 fine – half the permitted maximum of €5,000 – and also ordered payment of €185 prosecution costs for the offence admitted by lorry owners Thomas Hanrahan and Sons of Raheen, Co Limerick.
A charge against the driver was struck out.
The work schedule was organised in such a way that the driver was unable to comply fully with the required weekly rest period.
Road Safety Authority officer Seamus Lynch told Dungloe District Court in Co Donegal how tachograph records spanning four weeks showed that rest regulations were broken a number of times by the driver of one long rigid vehicle owned by Thomas Hanrahan and Sons.
He said that the worst offence showed the driver, based at Brinaleck, Derrybeg, Co Donegal, was more than 10 hours short of the required rest period within the State in one week in October 2009.
