'I am asking the questions,' man charged with unpaid parking fines tells Judge

A Donegal man who appeared in court for not paying four parking fines told a District Court Judge: I am here asking questions, not answering them'.

Tom Dignam was before Letterkenny District Court charged with not paying parking fines issued on January 14, 2022; February 25, 2022; April 20, 2022; and May 16, 2022.

A Donegal County Council employee gave evidence of issuing a fine on each occasion but said that the fines had never been paid.

Dignam began by addressing Judge Éiteáin Cunningham and telling her that he was in court 'by special appearance'.

“Can the prosecutor certify my right to subrogation?” Dignam asked.

“I am asking questions. I am not answering them.”

Judge Cunningham told Dignam that he was entitled to cross-examine the witness in the normal way if he so chose.

She added that after examining the facts she would make a finding and that if he was not happy he could appeal the matter to the Circuit Court.

“I am not here to argue over jurisdiction or law,” Dignam said.

“How can I help you settle this matter today? This is a matter of accountancy. Are you continuing this for your own benefit?”

Dignam asked Judge Cunningham if she could 'provide a private or public contract between you and me'.

After each charge was put to him, Dignam responded: “How may I help you to settle this?”

At one stage, Dignam told Judge Cunningham: “If you continue with this, you are in dishonour.”

Judge Cunningham found the facts proven in relation to each charge.

In respect of each, she fined Dignam €80 and also awarded a further €138 to Donegal County Council.

In total the accused, a 72-year-old of Woodlands, Dooish, Ballybofey, was ordered to pay €320 in fines and €552 in costs - a total of €872.

Solicitor for Donegal County Council, Mr Kevin McElhinney, pointed out that Dignam has a series of other parking fines due in court.

He said that under Section 27 of the Road Traffic Act, the court had the power of disqualification because of the number of unpaid fines.

Mr McElhinney said he was not seeking to have Dignam disqualified from driving but would take the matter into consideration at future sittings.