A detective sergeant yesterday accepted that sections of Garda memos of an interview with an accused on trial for IRA membership were inaccurate.
In the trial of seven men suspected of membership of the Continuity IRA, one of the accused, Mr Joseph Lynch, who had his bail revoked before the trial, was granted bail under certain conditions yesterday. The court ordered the accused to reside at home, go directly home after the day's proceedings and be available to answer his home telephone to gardaí at all times.
Yesterday, Det Garda Susan Delaney, Henry Street, Limerick, was giving evidence to the court in the trial of Mr Des Long (62), Shannon Banks, Limerick; Mr Patrick Kenneally (58); Crusheen, Co Clare; Mr Patrick O'Shea (54), Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick; Mr Gerard Brommell (43), Woodview Park, Limerick; Mr Robert McNamara (59), of St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary; Mr Joseph Lynch (61), Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick and Mr Christopher Dunne (28), Rosbrien, Limerick. The men were arrested when gardaí raided a house in Shanabooly Road, Limerick, in which a suspected meeting of the Continuity IRA was taking place in December 2001.
Yesterday, the court was shown video tapes of interviews with one accused, Mr Des Long, conducted by Det Garda Delaney and another detective. Certain answers given by the accused on tape differed somewhat from Garda notes.
During one interview on December 19th, 2001 at Henry Street, gardaí asked Mr Long if he knew "Pa Byrnes". The court heard that the name Pa Byrnes appeared on a handwritten note in connection with a .22 and .38 shotgun. The note was seized when gardaí raided the house.
Mr Ross Maguire BL for Mr Long put it to Det Garda Delaney that the accused's answer on video differed from the Garda memo, which was "incorrect".
"Yes My Lords, it is," said the witness. "I'm not a stenographer my Lord, I did not take the notes."
The garda said that when the notes were read to the accused and he was asked if he agreed with them, he nodded in agreement.