Laois resident paid €900 a year to broker but gardaí say insurance not valid

A man who was paying €900 a year to a broker for insurance allegedly had no valid insurance when stopped in Laois

Welton Aparecido Matias Roderiguez(29) of Derrykearn, Abbeyleix was accused of not having insurance and failing to produce insurance at Rossleighan, Mountmellick Road, Portaloise on November 12, 2023. 

Garda Ross Foy said “this man had no insurance but he has been paying €900 a year to a broker based out of Brazil.”

He said the man had shown him Revolut payments to the broker for the insurance. 

“I think it was a word of mouth thing in work, this is where we get insurance,” said Garda Foy.

He said the man had been issued with a disc and certificate. “It is an unusual one,” he stated. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said “he could have been more careful by the sound of it.” 

“I haven’t spoken to him. There may have been an issue with a fraudulent certificate,” he said. 

Mr Fitzgerald said the reality of the situation was only dawning on his client now. 

Judge Andrew Cody remanded the matter back to Portlaoise District Court on July 25. He said the defendant will need to have a valid policy of insurance on that date if he wants to avoid a disqualification.