Former TD and current Galway County Councillor Colm Keaveney has appeared before Tuam District Court on January 23, faces one count with driving under the influence of cocaine.
Mr Keaveney (53), with an address of Kilcrevanty, Tuam, Co. Galway, did not appear in court, and was represented by his solicitor, Martina Moran.
The incident allegedly happened in June of 2023, in Cummer, Tuam, Co. Galway.
Mr Keaveney was alleged to have driven a motor vehicle with cocaine in his system.
It is also alleged that the concentration of cocaine in his blood was greater than the legal threshold, which is ten nanograms of Benzoylecgonine (cocaine) per millilitre of blood.
Gardaí began roadside drug testing in 2017.
Ms Moran stated that the case was before the courts for the first time, and requested an order for statements.
Judge James Faughnan granted her request and the matter was adjourned to a sitting of Tuam District Court on April 9.
In 2011, Mr Keaveney was elected to the Dáil as a Labour Party member.
He later became an Independent candidate, and in 2019, joined Fianna Fáil.
He is currently a councillor on Galway County Council, for the Galway East constituency, where he has served since 2019.
He was elected to the County Council twice previously, in 2004 and 2009.
Emma van Oosterhout is the Editor-in-Chief of Student Independent News for 2025/26. She is studying MA Journalism at University of Galway, and graduated in 2025 with a BA in Global Media and History. She is from Corofin, Co. Galway. Emma was previously a News Editor for the year 2023/24. She has written for SIN since 2023.