ALLEGED IRA man Mr John Quinn was taken to hospital four times while he was in Garda custody in Limerick between Sunday night and yesterday morning Garda Headquarters in Dublin has said.
The last hospital visit was yesterday morning, before he was driven to court in Dublin.
Mr Quinn (28), of Faha, Patrickswell, Co Limerick, is accused of IRA membership and unlawful possession of ammunition at Patrickswell last Thursday.
The Garda said that doctors at Limerick Regional Hospital discharged Mr Quinn on each of the four occasions and at the last visit, yesterday morning, said he was fit to travel to Dublin.
Mr Quinn was arrested on Sunday at 7.05 p.m. and taken to Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick. He was released, but then rearrested just before 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
He visited Limerick Regional Hospital on three occasions between the time he was first taken into custody and yesterday morning, when he was taken from the station for the fourth visit shortly after 8 a.m.
He was brought by ambulance from the Garda station, strapped into a stretcher. Shortly after 9 a.m. he was brought out of the hospital by gardai and placed in an unmarked police car for the journey to the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.
Mr Quinn's barrister, Ms Mary Ellen Ring, told the court she had received instructions that while in custody at Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick he had received a number of injuries. "He has complained of periods of unconsciousness and memory loss as a result of these injuries."
Ms Ring said her client had injuries to the face and body, including swelling of the elbows and hands. He had also passed blood in his urine, she said, and had been unable to sleep or eat for 48 hours.
When gardai helped Mr Quinn to his feet during the court hearing, Mr Justice Morris directed that he could remain seated.
The assistant State solicitor, Mr Brendan Counihan, said Mr Quinn had been discharged by a consultant at Limerick Regional Hospital yesterday morning, and was deemed fit to travel.
Ms Ring applied to the court to have Mr Quinn sent to the Mater Hospital, Dublin, for a full medical examination. She said he had been examined by a doctor in the court precincts.
When pressed by Mr Justice Morris, she said the doctor who had examined Mr Quinn was unable to say he was not fit to travel to Portlaoise Prison.
Mr Justice Morris said there was no evidence that the accused man was not fit to travel to Portlaoise Prison.
The court remanded Mr Quinn in custody until June 25th. He was taken to Portlaoise.
Yesterday, lawyers for Mr Quinn did not anticipate a further complaint being made, in addition to those made in court.
Meanwhile, a senior Garda officer at Portlaoise is investigating a complaint by Mr Jeremiah Sheehy about injuries he suffered bf0 he arrived at Portlaoise Prison on Tuesday. The investigation is headed by Chief Supt Sean Camon.
Mr Sheehy, who has been charged with IRA membership and with having a gun at Adare, Co Limerick last Friday, complained of injuries when he arrived at the jail from court in Dublin at 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night the Department of Justice said when the prisoner complained, he was "medically examined in the reception area and found to have some injuries." He was taken to Portlaoise hospital for further examination at 9.30 p.m., the statement said, and was discharged and returned to the prison at 10.45 p.m.