A case involving a Galway based bus company accused of running unlicensed non-stop daily services to Dublin, was adjourned after the presiding district court judge reserved judgment until relevant legislation and documents could be considered fully.
Citylink, which is owned by Singapore-based Comfortdelgro, denies the two charges brought against it by the DPP. Irish Citylink Comfortdelgro Ltd, Galway Tourist Office, Forster Street, is accused of operating a direct passenger service between Dublin city and Galway city without a passenger licence granted under the Road Transport Act 1932 on October 16, 2009, and with a return service later that same day.
Public service vehicle inpsector Sgt Tony McHugh told Galway District Court on Monday that a complaint had been received by gardai from the Department of Transport on October 14, 2009, and an investigation was subsequently launched. Sgt McHugh went online and booked a €10 return ticket to travel to Dublin with Citylink on October 16, 2009.
Sgt McHugh travelled on a Citylink bus from the Galway Tourist Office at 6.30am and then went direct on a non-stop service arriving in Dublin at 9.15am. At 11.55am he boarded another Citylink bus at Burgh Quay, left the capital at 12.03pm and arrived back in Galway at 3pm. He stressed that the bus “did not stop at any town or village” along the way.
Sgt McHugh then handed a copy of the e-ticket he had purchased online and a certificate from the Department of Transport.
Inspector Pat McHugh told the court that the certificate indicates the defendant does not have a licence to bring passengers non-stop from Galway to Dublin and back on the same date.
Defence counsel Giollaíosa O’Lideadha said that the certificate handed into court was dated October 22, 2009, and made the assertion that the company was not the holder of the required licence then, however, Mr O’Lideadha stressed that the date of the journey had been October 16 and that there had been no evidence given that the company had not been covered by a licence on that date.
Inspector McHugh said that the certificate shows that the company is not the holder of an annual licence. He said that it did have a licence to adhere to scheduled stops at towns along the route. Inspector McHugh added that Citylink does not have a “non-stop” licence.
Mr O’Lideadha then said that that the prosecution had failed to provide evidence that the company did not have other licences covering the route on that date.
Judge Mary Fahy said that she would reserve judgment so that she would have more time to read through the relevant legislation and other cases. The case was adjourned to April 28 when it is expected that a decision will be made.
