Across:
8 Asked to leave Baker's dozen ('asked' to leave 'Bakers dozen' = brozen = BRONZE) by statue (BRONZE),
9 Dear me – it (dear me it) flourished (= anagram indicator) (dear me it = DIAMETER) in part of The Circle (DIAMETER),
10 Irish writer (Wilde) lost heart (l) (‘wilde’ without ‘l’ = WIDE) to broad (broad = WIDE),
11 Dramatic type (PLAY-) pulverised -(GROUND) (PLAYGROUND) by The Yard (= PLAYGROUND),
12 One needs to learn this (LESSON) from Gael leaving Los Angeles (‘Gael’ leaving ‘Los Angeles’ = losnes = LESSON),
14 Trying to answer the riddle (GUESSING) for 14 down (‘guess’ = GUESS-) in (-IN-) Government (-G) (GUESSING),
15 Got an award for showing (BRONZE MEDALLIST) 8 across (‘bronze’ = BRONZE) to most of them in 22 across (most of ‘medallists’ = MEDALLIST) (BRONZE MEDALLIST),
18 Risk takers (GAMBLERS) playing (= anagram indicator) marbles (marbles = -AMBLERS) behind (= position indicator) the back of the building (back of ‘buildinG’ = G-) (GAMBLERS),
20 Relative (SISTER) removes wall from stairwells (removes ‘wall’ from ‘stairwells’ = stires = SISTER),
22 The best three (MEDALLISTS) tips at sea (tips at sea = -LISTS) going after (= position indicator) Scott, for one (Scott MEDAL-) (MEDALLISTS),
24 Source (ROOT for) one of those associated with the Branch (ROOT and branch),
25 Precinct (DISTRICT) detective (DI-) is uncompromising (-STRICT) (DISTRICT),
26 Authorities don’t want Irish (‘authorities’ don’t want/without ‘Irish’ = autote = EAT OUT) to dine in restaurants (EAT OUT).
Down:
1 Land (ARRIVE) with the odd acre (the odd letters in 'AcRe' = AR-) by the Liffey (river) mostly (r) ('river' without 'r' = -RIVE) (ARRIVE),
2 Almost (t) catch (‘net’ without ‘t’ = -NE-) in Kildare (KE = K-E) (KNEE) joint (KNEE),
3 Press one (press one) boss (= anagram indicator) (press one = RESPONSE) for answer (RESPONSE),
4 The thought (IDEA) of Adelaide losing deal (‘Adelaide’ losing ‘deal’ = aide = IDEA),
5 Get twisted (TANGLE) on cocktails at The Centre (‘cockTails’ at the centre = T-) with cast (cast/fish = -ANGLE) (TANGLE),
6 Fish (LEMON SOLES) and fruit (LEMON) starters sold on Lake Erie shore (starters ‘Sold On Lake Erie Shore’ = SOLES) (LEMON SOLES),
7 Senses (MEANINGS) popular (-IN-) legend (‘leG’ end = -G-) consumed by wealth (MEAN-S) (MEANINGS),
13 Scours an area (SANDBLASTS) in South Africa (SA-) on the outskirts of Durban (on the outskirts of ‘DurbaN’ = dn) flipping (= reverse indicator) (dn = -ND-) close to suburb (close to ‘suburB’ = -B-) for those employed by shoemakers (-LASTS) (SANDBLASTS),
14 Have a go at identifying (GUESS) ballpark figure (GUESS),
16 Means of furtive escape (REAR EXIT) for mystery man (-X-) in lawless (= anagram indicator) Eritrea (Eritrea = REAR E-IT) (REAR EXIT),
17 Collaborated (ASSISTED) with a (A-) small (-D-), short (r) relative (‘sister’ without ‘r’ = -SISTE-) at the head (d) of Dwarfs (head of ‘Dwarfs’ = -D) (ASSISTED),
19 Serves up (= reverse indicator) a (-A-) lime topping/ (‘Lime’ topping = -L-) / filling in rice (rice = EC-IR) (ÉCLAIR) cake (ECLAIR),
21 Sued (sued) wrong (= anagram indicator) (sued = E-DUS) officer (executive officer = -XO-) involved (EXODUS) in The Leaving (EXODUS),
23 Position (SITE) on both sides of the Silk Route (on both sides of the ‘SIlk rouTE’ = SITE),
24 The Sun (star) retrospective (= reverse indicator) (star = RATS) of those runners from The Maze (RATS).