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Bitter at diabetic ban
Page 17
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RETIRED TRUCK DRIVER Thomas McWeeney will appeal suspension of his driving licence following a court ruling that he must not drive because of susceptibility to hypoglycaemia, a condition related to diabetes.
In May 2003, McWeeney was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, when his erratic driving of a car was reported to police by a following motorist. But a doctor, who examined him in Mullingar Garda Station, confirmed he had slipped into a state of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) because he had failed to eat a midday meal. Hypoglycaemia can lead to loss of concentration, blurred vision and possible temporary loss of consciousness. Police applied to the district court to suspend the driving licence for life, and Judge John FNeilan did so on 22 January. McWeeney's lawyers said their client was hypoglycaemia-aware and takes precautions to prevent attacks. They said McWeeney would be fit to drive, provided he took medication and didn't miss any meals.
McWeeney had been a diagnosed diabetic for 27 years, and drove professionally during that time without incident. But Judge Neilan said he had a responsibility to protect the safety of the public and was not prepared to take responsibility for somebody being killed because McWeeney forgot to eat. The Diabetic Federation of Ireland says the decision could have implications for some 115,000 diabetics nationwide and said it is complete discrimination to remove a right to drive a vehicle simply because of a medical condition.