A man has been charged with arson in connection with a fire which went out of control and gutted six terraced houses in Co Kildare.
Daragh Ward (39) with an address at Millfield Manor, Newbridge, was remanded in custody by Dublin District Court Judge Gráinne O’Neill who recommended that he should get psychiatric treatment.
Gardaí and fire-fighters attended the scene on Tuesday when houses had to be evacuated at about 4pm.
Six houses, including Mr Ward’s own home, were extensively damaged in the incident.
Mr Ward was arrested after he presented himself at Celbridge Garda station on Tuesday. He was transferred to Newbridge Garda Station where he was held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 and subsequently charged with causing criminal damage by fire to a neighbouring house, number 65 Millfield Manor.
Det Garda Maeve Ward of Newbridge station told Judge O’Neill that Mr Ward was charged on Wednesday at 11.17pm.
“I gave him a true copy of the charge and he made no reply,” said Det Garda Ward, adding that she was asking the court to remand him in custody.
Defence solicitor David Gibbons said he was not making an application for bail.
Judge O’Neill remanded Mr Ward in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on April 8th next. Mr Gibbons said he might be in a position to address the issue of bail at that stage.
The judge asked if Mr Ward required any attention and the defence lawyer asked that his client would get “appropriate psychiatric and medical treatment while in custody”.
Judge O’Neill agreed to make that recommendation and she also asked if an application for free legal aid was being made.
Mr Gibbons said his client has been working but “it is likely to be the case that he will be without an income going forward. He has taken a certain amount of leave, I am not quite sure when that is going to run out.”
The issue of whether legal aid will be granted was deferred.