The Special Criminal Court has granted bail to two men arrested during a Garda investigation into the activities of dissident republicans.
The men were arrested by Special Branch detectives at Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, last week.
Mr Adrian Kirwan (25), from Ballymun, Dublin, with an address at Ardilaun Green, Ballymahon Road, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and Mr Colum Wiggins (24), from Belfast, with an address at Derrynamasher, Anna- gry, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, were each charged with membership of the IRA on December 5th.
Det Supt Diarmuid O'Sullivan of the Special Detective Unit opposed bail yesterday, saying he believed they would continue to be involved in an illegal organisation if freed on bail. He told the court that gardaí found eight electronic timing devices in a car driven by Mr Kirwan and with Mr Wiggins as a passenger when it was stopped and searched at Edgeworthstown.
Mr Justice O'Donovan, presiding, said that they were entitled to the presumption of innocence and there was nothing to suggest they would not turn up for their trial if given bail.
The court granted bail to both men on their own bonds of €100 each, an independent surety of €5,000 each and on the condition that they sign on daily at a Garda station.
They also gave an undertaking to the court not to associate with people they know to have been convicted of subversive crime.
The court remanded them until February 1st.