A father and son who allowed their land to be used for illegal broadcasting have been fined a total of €300.
Retired CIÉ worker, Mr Andrew O'Brien, and his carpenter son, Vincent, pleaded guilty to making available or assisting in making available their residence at Kiltalown, in the Dublin mountains, near Tallaght, for unlicensed broadcasting.
Dublin District Court heard the Director of Communications Regulation (ComReg) carried out surveillance of the O'Brien's small holding before obtaining a warrant and searching the premises on May 20th last year.
Broadcasting apparatus was found and Vincent admitted his father was the owner of the property. Mr O'Brien senior admitted electricity from the premises was used to supply the transmission equipment.
The court also heard that Mr O'Brien, who is in his 80s and in poor health, had received €100 euro a month for allowing the equipment to be kept on his land from "persons who were running a radio station." When electricity costs were taken into account, the profit from the venture was not great.
Both he and his son had undertaken not to permit a recurrence of the offence.
Judge Anne Watkin said as the son played only a minor role, she was imposing a fine of €100 euro with €500 euro costs. She fined the father €200, along with €500 costs.