The arraignment of the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles J. Haughey, on charges alleging that he obstructed the McCracken tribunal has been adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two weeks.
Judge Elizabeth Dunne granted the adjournment on the application of Mr Eoin McGonigal SC, for Mr Haughey. Mr McGonigal said clarification was needed on certain aspects of the indictment against his client.
For the prosecution, Mr Maurice Gaffney SC agreed that Mr Haughey's legal advisers were entitled to seek the information required before the arraignment trial proceeded.
Mr Haughey's case was No 24 on the list before Judge Dunne and was taken out of turn when the hearing began in Court 26 in Chancery Place.
When the registrar, Mr Brendan Scallan, called the first case on the arraignment list, Mr Gaffney intervened to say that issues had been raised by the defence concerning certain items in the indictment and that an adjournment for two weeks would be necessary to deal with them.
Judge Dunne said she would adjourn the matter to next Monday as she felt that would be ample time for the issues to be dealt with.
Mr McGonigal said that would not give enough time because it would be necessary to enter into correspondence on the issues. They would require a fortnight to deal with the matter.
Asked by Judge Dunne what the position regarding the case would be when replies had been received by the defence, Mr McGonigal replied: "The issues will have been clarified".
Mr Gaffney agreed with defence counsel that a fortnight would be necessary and that the defence was entitled to have the issues in questions clarified.
Judge Dunne said in those circumstances she would adjourn the arraignment to October 28th.