Man who allegedly threw cow dung at Minister charged with assault

A south Galway farmer alleged to have thrown a bag containing cow dung in the direction of Minister of State Anne Rabbitte at a public meeting has been charged with assaulting the Fianna Fáil deputy.

Joseph Baldwin (38) of Ballyaneen, Gort, was before the local District Court on Thursday charged with assaulting Ms Rabbitte on January 4th at a public meeting at Sullivan’s Royal Hotel in the town, contrary to section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

He is also accused of using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace of being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned contrary to section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.

Ms Rabbitte, a TD for Galway East and Minister of State at the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, was attending the meeting to hear locals’ concerns over a planned biogas plant for Gort.

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Galway East Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon was also in attendance at the meeting, which was called to discuss taking a judicial review against the planning decision permitting the biogas plant. Some €20,000 was pledged to the fight by those present.

When the case was called at Gort District Court, defending solicitor John Nash said he was asking for the case to be put back until February “for mention only” as there was an outstanding disclosure issue.

Insp Eleanor O’Halloran confirmed to Judge Alec Gabbett there was CCTV of the alleged incident outstanding.

She assured the judge the footage would be available to the defence and formatted correctly by the next court date.

Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to February 22nd for the CCTV to be provided to Mr Nash.