Former Senator O Domhnaill banned and fined after admitting drunk driving

September 10, 2021

Former Donegal Senator Brian O Domhnaill has been banned from driving for three years and fined €250 after pleading guilty to drink driving. 

The former Fianna Fail politician had been fighting the case for the past eight years.

The case was not due to be heard until September 15th at the next sitting of Falcarragh District Court.

However, his solicitor Sean Cannon, raised the matter during a family law sitting of Letterkenny District Court and indicated his client would be pleading.

The plea was heard in Irish.

It is not known if Mr O Domhnaill, who now lives in Canada, was present in court.

Details of the incident were outlined in court on behalf of the Prosecution by State Solicitor Ciaran Liddy.

The marathon case has been before the courts on more than 20 occasions since the incident at Tullygay, Letterkenny on September 2, 2013.

The 42-year-old former politician, who is oirginally from Killult, Falcarragh, was charged with drunk driving, failing to remain at the occurrence of an accident, failing to remain at the scene and failing to give appropriate information.

However, the case has been delayed on a number of occasions in the eight years since the incident.

It had been indicated at the last sitting of the court in Glenties that Mr O Domhnaill would be pleading guilty.

At today’s court sitting, Mr O’Domhnaill pleaded to drink driving after the court heard he failed a breath test.

The other charges against him were struck out by Judge Paul Kelly.

Mr O’Domhnaill lost his seat in March 2020 when he was an Independent Senator and has since emigrated to  Quebec in Canada where he is married.

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