A man arrested in Dublin last week during Garda investigations into money laundering has been granted bail with strict conditions attached by the Special Criminal Court today.
Mr Don Bullman was described as being "central" to the Garda investigations that saw eight people arrested and millions of pounds sterling seized around the State last week.
He will be granted bail as soon as produces his own bond of €500 and an independent surety of €30,000, presiding judge Mr Justice Diarmuid O'Donovan said. He must also adhere to a list of strict conditions set down by the court.
Mr Bullman (30) was arrested close to Heuston Station, Dublin on Wednesday afternoon. He was charged on Friday with membership of an illegal organisation. He denies the charge.
Detective Superintendent Dermot O'Sullivan of Harcourt Square Special Detective Unit told the three-judge court today that Mr Bullman and two men from Northern Ireland were stopped in an off-road vehicle.
He said a blue back sack was found on the seat beside Mr Bullman. The bag contained a box of "Daz" washing powder. Inside the box, Det Sup O'Sullivan said, gardaí found €94,000 wrapped in plastic in three lots and covered with washing powder.
The court was told Mr Bullman's fingerprints were found on bag that the Daz box was in.
The also heard that Mr Bullman had two mobile phones in his possession when he was stopped by gardaí. There were six phones in the car in total.
During questioning, Mr Bullman said he could not recall sending or receiving text messages found on one of the phones.
On message sent from the phone allegedly said: "Don't box that today. All I have is a back sack - I will put it in that."
Mr Bullman, dressed in a casual jumper and trousers, took the witness stand and gave evidence that he was not involved with any illegal organisation. "I am not a member of any organisation. Never was," he said.
The prosecution objected to bail, but the defence argued Mr Bullman had not been charged with money laundering.
The court heard that he admitted during questioning attending a chef's trade show in RDS, Dublin and filling in application form using the name "Jerry McCabe, Catering Officer, Garda Club". He said he did so as a joke.
Gardaí objected to bail on a number of grounds. They said Mr Bullman would continue to be member of an illegal organisation, was likely to interfere with evidence and would engage in money laundering on behalf of IRA.
Mr Justice O'Donovan said: "It seems that all these apprehensions are based on the premise that Mr Bullman is either a member of the IRA or has close associations with the IRA".
He said if they were to refuse bail it would deny Mr Bullman the presumption of innocence to which he was entitled.
The judges were not satisfied that the objections were well-founded but noted the Garda's concerns and said they would grant bail on very stringent terms.
Mr Bullman is required to live at his current address in Fernwood Crescent, Leghanamore, Wilton, Co Cork. He must sign on at local Garda station at any time during the day that he is required to do so.
He must undertake not to associate with people who have been involved with serious crime, must not travel outside Co Cork and must surrender his passport.