Road ban for coke rap ex-TD

Keaveney was caught driving high on drugs

- BY JOHN FALLON

FORMER Fianna Fail TD Colm Keaveney has been sentenced to 220 hours of community service and banned from driving for three years after admitting to driving under the influence of cocaine.

Judge James Faughnan said the 55-year-old had "suffered a significant fall from grace" as he sentenced him to community service in lieu of four months in prison.

The court was told that the former Galway East TD had become addicted to cocaine after taking painkillers when he suffered an injury in 2006.

Keaveney did not speak during the hearing, which was the 15th time the matter had come before Tuam District Court in the past two years.

Keaveney, of Kilcreevanty, Tuam, Co Galway, had pleaded guilty in September last year at the court to driving under the influence of cocaine and to two counts of driving with no insurance.