A man was granted bail yesterday after being charged at the Special Criminal Court with the unlawful possession of explosives.
At a special sitting of the court, Mr Thomas Ryan (25), an electrician, from Kilscanlan, Foulksmills, Co Wexford, was charged that on December 18th last he knowingly had in his possession or under his control 87 sticks of gelignite with a weight of approximately 33 kg.
Det Sgt William Hanrahan of the Special Detective Unit told the court he arrested Mr Ryan in connection with the charges on December 18th at Castletown, Galmoy, Co Kilkenny, under the Offences Against the State Act after the find had been made.
He said Mr Ryan had been questioned extensively and had made a number of statements. He made a "full admission" of his involvement in the find and had been "co-operative" with gardai.
Asked by his solicitor, Mr James O'Connor, of Wexford, if Mr Ryan had viewed the matter as "extremely serious", Sgt Hanrahan said he did and realised he had made "an awful mistake".
The court heard that Mr Ryan would plead guilty to the charges when his case came before the court on January 11th but that "bigger players than him" were involved.
He was remanded on bail of his own bond of £5,000, an independent surety of same, a cash lodgement to the court of £2,000 and an undertaking to sign on at New Ross Garda station twice weekly, and to surrender his passport. Mr Ryan would also leave Thurles and live with his parents in Kilscanlan, Foulksmills, Co Wexford, and not associate with his colleagues in Thurles.