Dublin man charged with possession of TNT, detonators

A Dublin man has been charged at the Special Criminal Court with possession of over a kilogramme of explosives.

Patrick Brennan (52) was arrested on Thursday morning as part of an ongoing operation targeting dissident republican activity.

Mr Brennan, with an address at Lindisfarne Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 was charged with knowingly possessing an explosive substance, to wit four 400-gramme blocks of TNT and three electric explosive detonators, under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion he had not got them in his possession for a lawful object, at Store Street, Dublin 1, on June 16th.

Det Garda Graham Dunne, of the Special Detective Unit, told State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan that at 12:18pm on Friday he arrested Mr Brennan on Irishtown Road, Dublin 4.

The detective cautioned Mr Brennan, to which the accused man made no reply, the court heard.

Det Garda Dunne said he informed Mr Brennan he was to be brought before the next sitting of the Special Criminal Court and detained him at Irishtown Garda station.

He transported Mr Brennan to the Special Criminal Court on Friday afternoon, the court heard, and showed him the charge sheet.

Again, Mr Brennan made no reply, Det Garda Dunne said.

Solicitor Kieran Conway, representing Mr Brennan, said he had "no questions" for Det Garda Dunne.

During the brief hearing, Mr Brennan sat in a light blue striped T-shirt, with his arms folded. When asked by the court’s registrar to stand up, he remained seated, and spoke only to confirm his identity.

Asked whether he was Patrick Brennan, he replied, “Yeah”.

Mr Conway said the State was seeking to remand Mr Brennan in custody until next Friday.

This was on consent, he said, adding a bail application would be made on that day.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Margaret Heneghan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded Mr Brennan in custody until next Friday, June 24th.