The trial of five men charged with the murder of crime figure Kieran Keane, due to begin in Limerick last Tuesday, was finally moved to Dublin yesterday following unsuccessful attempts to select a jury.
After three days of difficulties in selecting 12 jurors, Mr Justice Butler referred to the "exceptional circumstances of a case involving five accused men from a community with a relatively small population".
Mr Justice Butler said it was likely that if they tried to select a new panel of jurors in Limerick the same problems would arise. "It is my view in the light of our experience with the present panel that there is no reason why similar difficulties would not be incurred with the next panel."
A total of 170 jurors were due to appear at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday for the opening of the murder trial, but fewer than 100 turned up.
It is understood that a number of medical certificates had been submitted.
After three days, the trial was left with a panel of just 10 jurors when a number of those who attended asked to be excused.
Mr Justice Butler discharged the 10 yesterday and ruled that the trial be moved to the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Dublin on November 4th.
The judge said: "The experience so far is that the sittings of the Central Criminal Court in Limerick have been highly successful. What occurred in the present case represented a glitch in that short record.
"It was due to the exceptional circumstances of a trial involving five accused from a community with a relatively small population and a case that is expected to last for at least eight weeks.
"I confidently expect that no such difficulties will arise in the vast majority of cases that may be tried in Limerick, and I do know that a judge will be available for the Central Criminal Court sitting here on November 4th next."
On Tuesday the five accused men pleaded not guilty to the murder of Kieran Keane in Drombana, Co Limerick, last January 29th, and to the attempted murder of his nephew, Owen Treacy, on the same date. They also pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning the two men on the same date.
The five accused Limerick men are: Messrs James McCarthy (24), Delmege Park, Moyross; David Stanners (31), Pineview Gardens Moyross; Christopher Costelloe (20), Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty; Anthony McCarthy (21), The Fairgreen; and Dessie Dundon (20), Hyde Road.
They are represented by five senior counsel, five junior counsel, along with instructing solicitors.
Prosecution for the State comprises one senior counsel, one junior counsel and an instructing solicitor.
Legal fees alone to barristers and solicitors are estimated to be in the region of €100,000 for the three days.
In addition there were major costs associated with security for the trial, including the deployment of the Garda helicopter, the sub-aqua unit, members of the armed Emergency Response Unit, along with overtime costs for prison officers, detectives and uniformed gardaí.