A bus-driver who fatally knocked down a nurse, a mother of three from the Philippines, has been given a six-month suspended sentence.
Frank Turner (51), a married man with six children, also had his driving licence suspended for four years by Judge Frank O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was fined €500, with nine months to pay.
Turner, of Kildare Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death on October 29th, 2003, outside Cheeverstown Hospital.
He has been working for Dublin Bus since 1998 and lost his job after the incident, but was later reinstated
Ms Maria Verdida was 52 at the time of her death.
The nurse, who had been living in Ireland for two years, had worked in Tallaght Hospital but was doing relief work in Cheeverstown Hospital at the time.
Garda Brian Ryan from Terenure Garda station told Mr Padraig Dwyer BL, prosecuting, that Turner was driving a double-decker bus, carrying no passengers, from Eden Quay to Tallaght.
He had turned on to a dual carriageway and was approaching a pedestrian crossing at around 25 m.p.h. when strong sunlight impaired his vision.
He had noticed that the lights were flashing amber but failed to react before striking the woman.
Garda Ryan said he himself had been unable to see the scene of the accident clearly on approach. The sun was low on that stretch of road at the time of the incident, and this was corroborated by a Met Office report.
He said Turner had no previous convictions, was of good character and was "an honest, solid man".
Turner told Mr John Nolan BL, defending: "I just can't get over it. It leaves my mind sometimes or I would not be able to live at all. I don't think there are words I can say, other than sorry, to help her family."