Man charged with IRA membership is held in custody

Dean Byrne (23) remanded by Special Criminal Court judges

A Dublin man facing an IRA membership and firearms charges was remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court today. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
A Dublin man facing an IRA membership and firearms charges was remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court today. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A Dublin man facing an IRA membership and firearms charges was remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court this today.

Dean Byrne (23), of Drumcairn Park, Tallaght was charged earlier this year after he and another man were arrested by members of the special detective unit and the Garda crime and security branch after an operation in Tallaght.

Mr Byrne, of Drumcairn Park, Tallaght, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on June 5th 2014.

He is also charged with the unlawful possession of a 9x18mm calibre Makarov PM semi-automatic pistol and magazine and 10 rounds of 9x18mm BR calibre Sellier and Bellot ammunition at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght on June 5th, 2014.

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Mr Byrne had been granted bail on his own bond of €1,000, an independent surety of €20,000 and was ordered to sign on daily at Tallaght Garda station. He was also ordered to keep a curfew between midnight and 7am each night and to surrender his passport.

The court also ordered that Mr Byrne should not associate with anyone convicted of a scheduled offence.

However, counsel for Mr Byrne, Bernard Condon SC, told the court today that his client’s independent surety was no longer able to act.

Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, presiding alongside Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and Cormac Dunne, released the bail bond and remanded Mr Byrne in custody.

The case comes before the court again on November 11th 2014.