Ballinrobe man fined for operating illegal taxi

A BALLINROBE man has been fined after he was twice detected operating a taxi service without a licence.
At last week’s sitting of Castlebar District Court, Patrick Sweeney of Glebe Street, Ballinrobe, pleaded guilty to the offences after being found operating the service by compliance officers of the National Transport Authority in 2015.
The first offence took place on January 26, 2015, when compliance officer, PJ Durcan rang Mr Sweeney’s mobile number and requested a cab to Hollymount. Mr Durcan told the court he said he was in Supermac’s in Ballinrobe and Mr Sweeney replied he would be there in five minutes.
Mr Sweeney arrived in a black Toyota Avensis and asked Mr Durcan if he wanted to go to Hollymount. When they got to their destination, Mr Sweeney asked for €10 and Mr Durcan identified himself. He said Mr Sweeney had no licence to carry passengers for reward and was advised not to carry on.
On July 6, 2015, Mr Eugene McHale, also a compliance officer, rang Mr Sweeney and asked him to bring him to Cong from the Railway Hotel in Ballinrobe. Mr Sweeney arrived at the hotel and asked Mr McHale if he was looking for a taxi and brought him to Cong. He asked Mr McHale for €10 and when the officer identified himself, he replied, ‘I’m caught’.
The court heard that Mr Sweeney had once held a public-service vehicle licence, but that it had expired nine years ago and he had not sought another one since.
His solicitor, Cathy McDarby said her client had four children and suffered from depression and had not worked since breaking his leg. She said he operated the taxi to make ‘a few extra bob’ and was not doing it anymore.
When asked by Judge James Faughnan how long he had been operating the service, she replied ‘about a year’. Judge Faughnan told him that other taxi operators who were registered were losing out as a result, and he fined Mr Sweeney €350 and ordered him to pay €400 in costs.