THE DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has applied for time to consider further information with regard to a charge of dangerous driving causing death against former Irish and Munster rugby star, Eddie Halvey.
Mr Halvey, Allendale hall, South Circular Road, Limerick, is charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Kevin Walsh (16), Sycamore Drive, Bruff, Co Limerick, on April 1st, 2006, at Coole, Toomevara, Co Tipperary.
Mr Halvey appeared at Nenagh Circuit Court criminal sittings yesterday. He was dressed in a grey suit and flanked by members of his family.
The case had been expected to be withdrawn after the Director of Public Prosecutions announced a number of weeks ago that he was not proceeding with the charge, much to the anger and disappointment of Kevin Walsh's family.
Frank Quirke, prosecuting, told the court he would be applying for an adjournment "in the circumstances, considering further information had been imparted to the DPP".
Martin Dully, defending, said he had been informed by telephone late on Friday evening with regard to the "information".
"This further information has yet to be disclosed to the defence and I would ask for this to be disclosed to the defence," Mr Dully said.
Mr Halvey has already made several court appearances in connection with the case. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of dangerous driving causing death through his solicitor, Noel O'Meara, when he appeared in Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court on a number of occasions last year.
The Walsh family have attended every hearing and were again present in the public gallery yesterday.
Kevin was the only son of Kate and Jim Walsh, who have an older daughter, Amanda.
He was travelling to the North with his uncles, Vincent and Declan Tierney, to buy a car for Declan's hackney business when the collision occurred.
Mr Halvey still faces a charge of driving with excess alcohol on the same occasion before Nenagh District Court later this year.
Mr Halvey won eight Irish rugby caps in the pack, the first of them in 1994 against France. He was also capped for Munster the same year and was a regular player for the next seven seasons.
He played a role in Munster's Heineken Cup final defeat against Northampton at Twickenham in 2000.
At club level, he started playing with Thomond in Limerick before moving on to Shannon and was central to their four-in-a-row All-Ireland League successes, from 1995 to 1998.
He moved to London Irish in 2000 and made 48 appearances for the side, scoring nine tries in the process.
The high point of his career with the Exiles was when they won the Powergen English Cup for the first time in 2002, the greatest moment in the club's history.
Judge Olive Buttimer adjourned the matter until April 29th.