A Garda sergeant facing child pornography and soliciting charges was granted free legal aid at the Dublin District Court yesterday.
Mr Kieran O'Halloran, of Five Oaks, Drogheda, Co Louth was remanded on continuing bail to appear again at the Dublin District Court on July 22nd next.
Mr O'Halloran, who is married with one child, is accused of possessing child pornography at his home on December 8th last, and two charges of soliciting.
He has been suspended from the Garda Síochána since December 14th last.
Plea for statement on helicopter tender
The Franco-German company, Eurocopter, has told the High Court it wants a "tangible and formal" statement in relation to the status of the Sikorsky tender for the supply of new helicopters to the State.
Mr Richard Nesbitt SC, for the State, told Mr Justice Ó Caoimh yesterday that Eurocopter's judicial review proceedings in relation to the tender were "moot" - unnecessary - in light of recent developments as a result of which the contract with Sikorsky would not be going ahead.
Mr Justice O Caoimh adjourned the proceedings to July 22nd.
In its proceedings, Eurocopter was challenging the Government decision to accept the Sikorsky tender for the supply of new helicopters.
Eurocopter was contending in its action that the Minister for Defence was guilty of a breach of the principles of transparency, fairness and good faith underpinning and governing the operation and implementation of EU Council Directives.
Man seeks to halt sex assault trial
A man facing 104 charges of sexual assault against a number of boys was given leave by the High Court yesterday to seek orders preventing his prosecution.
The oldest of the alleged offences date back to 1972 while the most recent dates to 1977. The man contends that the delay between the alleged offences and his being prosecuted breaches his constitutional right to a fair and speedy trial and creates a real risk of an unfair trial.
Mr David Goldberg SC, for the man, said yesterday that one boy had made a statement of allegations against the man in 1999. There was a previous Garda investigation in 1995 related to allegations by that complainant. The orther complaints arose as a result of approaches by gardaí to other complainants.
The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Finnegan, gave leave to Mr Goldberg to seek orders, in judicial review proceedings, prohibiting the man's trial and further prosecution.
'Dutchy' move on corruption inquiry
Patrick "Dutchy" Holland, who is serving a 12-year jail sentence for possession of cannabis for supply, has told the High Court he will be seeking to make submissions to the tribunal set up to investigate allegations of corruption against gardaí in Co Donegal.
Holland told Mr Justice Ó Caoimh that some of the gardaí involved in the McBrearty affair - related to allegations by Co Donegal publican Mr Frank McBrearty snr that he and his family were harassed by gardaí over years following the death of a local man - were also involved in Holland's case. He had requested to make submissions to the tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Morris, on July 15th but had received no response.
Holland made the remarks during a brief appearance in court in relation to other legal proceedings he is taking against the Information Commissioner.
The nature of those proceedings has not been clarified and they were adjourned for another week.