Woman who failed to 'Pay and Display' for parking landed with a hefty court bill
The original fixed charge penalty notice was €40, rising to €80 for late payment; However the defendant never paid it
A Clonmany woman who failed to pay a parking ticket has been left with a court bill of €238 after the matter was prosecuted before Buncrana District Court.
The case of Gemma Ivers, of Cleagh, Clonmany, came before the court, where she was charged with failing to display a valid parking ticket as the registered owner of a vehicle.
Ms Ivers did not appear to answer the charge. However, Judge Emile Daly ruled that the case could proceed in her absence after being told that she had personally signed for the court summons.
The prosecution was brought by Donegal County Council, represented by solicitor Kevin McElhinney.
A traffic warden gave evidence regarding the incident, which occurred on Saturday, September 13, 2025, on Upper Main Street, Buncrana.
The court heard that at 10.06am that morning, the warden observed a 2017-registered Vauxhall Astra parked on the street without a valid pay-and-display ticket and with no electronic parking payment having been made in advance.
At 11.49am, a fixed charge notice was issued and placed behind the vehicle’s windscreen wipers. Photographs were also taken of the notice, but the fine remained unpaid.
Mr McElhinney told the court that the original fixed charge notice carried a penalty of €40. He said a final opportunity to settle the matter before court proceedings was later offered for €80, but this was not taken up.
Judge Daly noted that Ms Ivers had no previous convictions. Having heard the evidence, she imposed a fine of €100 and allowed four months for payment.
The judge also ordered Ms Ivers to pay prosecution costs of €138 to Donegal County Council.