Man on IRA and explosives charges granted temporary bail

A man charged with IRA membership, possession of explosive substances and an adapted beer keg has been granted temporary bail by the Special Criminal Court.

Gareth Mulley (45), of Aisling Park, Dundalk, Co Louth is charged with the unlawful possession of the explosive substances PETN and RDX, an adapted 50 litre beer keg, 50kg of ammonium nitrate homemade explosive, an improvised detonation cord, an improvised steel booster tube and an improvised time and power unit at Kilcurry Church on May 25th, 2014.

He, along with two co-accused, are alleged to have had the items “under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion” that they had not got them in their possession for a lawful object.

Mr Mulley is also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on the same date.

He had been arrested in May 2014 by members of the Special Detective Unit in Kilcurry Co Louth as part of the Garda’s ongoing investigations into the activities of dissident republicans.

The three-judge non-jury court admitted Mr Mulley to temporary bail from Thursday, July 9th until no later than 5pm on Wednesday, July 15th next on consent and on a number of conditions.

He will appear again in court on July 22nd for trial, the court heard.

An independent surety of €13,000 was present in court. She was made aware that her account must be “frozen to not be reduced below that amount”.

Mr Mulley was required to enter into his own bond of €1,000 to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, not to leave the jurisdiction, reside at a given address, sign on daily at a local Garda station, observe a curfew and provide a mobile phone number to gardaí ­ and for it to be the sole phone used by him while on bail.

He was also required to not to contact any prosecution witnesses or associate with any persons charged or convicted of a scheduled offence or with any co-accused save for legal consultations.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding alongside Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Cormac Dunne, admitted Mr Mulley to temporary bail in the presence of the surety who was "standing" for him.