Cases against ten Tara protesters adjourned

Cases against 10 demonstrators involved in the Save Tara protest have been adjourned to Navan District Court next month pending…

Cases against 10 demonstrators involved in the Save Tara protest have been adjourned to Navan District Court next month pending the provision by gardaí of video footage to the defence.

Ten people have been charged with public order-related offences.

Defence solicitor Michael Finucane claimed gardaí in a number of the cases had failed to comply with their disclosure obligations, and that a summary or précis statement was "sparse and inadequate".

Judge John Brophy said that if statements were unavailable gardaí had to provide a précis, not TV footage or people being interviewed on radio.

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Mr Finucane said the Supreme Court had ruled that what might be required varied from case to case, and he asked the judge to examine a précis statement.

Judge Brophy said he would not view statements prior to the opening of the case to him.

Supt Michael Devine said there was footage available on 10 to 12 discs and was available for viewing at Navan Garda station. Defence sought and was granted access to copies of the discs.

Hugh McLoughlin (50), of Watson Avenue, Killiney, Co Dublin; Donal Ó Loinsigh (28), of Adelaide Terrace, Summer Hill Co Cork; and Rik Wielink (21), of Riverstown, Kilmessan, Co Meath, were each charged under the public order section of the Criminal Justice Housing (Miscellaneous) Act 2002.

Robert Doherty (52), of Main Street West End, Bundoran, Co Donegal; John Fay (56), of Black Friary, Trim, Co Meath; Daniel Maloney (29), of Riverstown Kilmessan, Co Meath; and Andrew Rawlings (32), of Dunbeacon, Bantry, Co Cork, are charged with failing to comply with the directions of a garda and interrupting the free passage of a vehicle on July 18th.

Mr Fay, Mr Doherty and Mr Rawlings are also charged with offensive conduct. All were remanded on continuing bail.

Kathleen Kavanagh (48), of Christchurch Place, Dublin, who is charged with breaching the peace at Tara, Lismullin, was further charged with alleged assault.

Carmel Ní Dhuibheanaigh (30), of Fheile Bhoriomhe, Swords, Co Dublin, who faces three public order charges, was further alleged to have breached her bail conditions on August 7th.

Dr Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, (40), of St Laurence's Avenue, Maynooth, Co Kildare, faces three public order charges.

They were remanded on continuing bail. All cases were adjourned to Navan District Court on October 24th.

Meanwhile, the lobby group TaraWatch has called on the Government to publish the European Commission's reasoned opinion sent to the Government two months ago warning about the decision to demolish the Lismullin national monument and the Government's response.

Vincent Salafia of TaraWatch said "the Irish people have a moral and constitutional right to know exactly what the Government is being accused of, and what their precise response is".

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran is Parliamentary Correspondent of The Irish Times