The Dealer hears that a Mayo farmer and contractor had a case against him withdrawn at Ballina District Court this week for not having a Department of the Environment (DOE) test on a tractor and trailer that was carrying a land drainage digger.

Gardaí also withdrew the charge along with that of requiring tractor drivers to have a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licence to operate the tractor and trailer.

Tractor drivers are required by law to have a W licence.

The farmer was charged with the lesser charge of not having the machine properly tied down, which Judge Mary Devins told him could be serious enough to cause him to lose his driving licence. Instead, she fined him €750 for the minor offence.