Three men were charged with ammunition and explosives offences at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday following a Special Branch investigation into dissident republicans.
They are Mr Francis McGeown (63), of Cedarwood Park, Cox's Demesne, Dundalk, Co Louth, Mr Ciaran Dunne (22), of Elmbrook Avenue, Lucan, Co Dublin, and Mr Pascal Burke (41), of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin.
Mr McGeown is charged with the unlawful possession of 50 rounds of .38 special ammunition, 50 rounds of 9mm Parabellum ammunition and an explosive substance at Heynestown, Dundalk, on Friday.
Mr Dunne and Mr Burke are each charged with the unlawful possession of the ammunition and the explosive substance at Smithstown, Julianstown, Co Meath, on the same date.
The court heard that Mr McGeown was arrested in Dundalk, and that Mr Dunne and Mr Burke were arrested in Dublin on Friday by members of the Special Detective Unit.
Det Chief Supt Phil Kelly, the head of the Special Detective Unit, told the court that he signed orders extending the detentions of Mr Dunne and Mr Burke.
He said items of an explosive nature were found during a search of a pub at Hill Street, Dublin, that a vehicle was seized and that the results of a technical examination of these were awaited when he signed the orders.
The court remanded the three men in custody until Friday, when bail applications are expected.