Judge John Neilan has said he would rather park five miles out of his way than park in a disabled bay with no permit.
He made the comment as he dismissed under the Probation Act the case against Andrew Conway of 210 Dalton Park who pleaded guilty to having no permit when he was in a disabled bay on Pearse Street on September 4 last year at 5pm.
Conway said that he didn’t have money to pay the fine when it came and that one of his children has special needs.
Under questioning from the judge, he went on to say that his child has ADHD and accepted that he was probably not entitled to a disabled sticker for his car.
His children live with their mother in Cork, he told the court, and then admitted that he had no children with him on the day he was stopped.
He said he had been there for no more than two minutes.
Judge Neilan asked Conway what people in wheelchairs or with other disabilities were supposed to do if he is blocking their parking spaces.
“I’m sorry,” he replied.
“You don’t seem to have much concern,” said the judge. “I’d park five miles away rather than deprive a disabled person of their parking bay.”
When he asked Conway why he should hold on to his driver’s licence, he explained that he had since lost it for a drink driving offence.
Judge Neilan applied the Probation Act, but added that there are very few bays for disabled drivers.
Unfortunately, “there are a lot of lazy people who just decide they are so important they’re just going to drive into the [disabled] bay,” he concluded.
