Six people arrested in Limerick this morning were being questioned this evening about the collapse of the murder trial of Mr Liam Keane earlier this week.
The six - five men and one woman - were detained in Limerick this morning and are being held in various Garda stations in the city and the county. Three are aged 19, one is 18, one 16 and the other 24.
A Garda spokeswoman said the six can be held for up to 12 hours.
They are being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, but a Garda spokesman said they are being questioned about the collapse of Mr Keane's trial for the alleged murder of Mr Eric Leamy (19) in Limerick more than two years ago.
The Director of Public Prosecutions acted to abandon the case against Mr Keane when a succession of witnesses said they were unable to recall statements they earlier made to police.
Mr Keane had pleaded not guilty at the start of the Dublin Central Criminal Court trial. But the DPP directed that a "nolle prosequi" should be entered after central prosecution witness Mr Roy Behan denied making statements to police identifying the accused as the man who stabbed Mr Leamy.
Mr Behan was the sixth witness to deny making a statement related to the case during the trial that began last month.
