A JURY of six men and six women was sworn in yesterday to decide whether Mr Brendan O'Donnell is fit to plead on three murder charges.
Mr Justice Kinlen, following consultations with prosecuting and defence counsel, ruled the proceedings at the Central Criminal Court could not be reported.
After the jury was sworn in yesterday, the matter was adjourned until this morning. The hearing is expected to last up to two weeks.
Mr O'Donnell (21), a native of Co Clare but of no fixed abode, was arraigned on January 15th last on 12 charges relating to events in the west in 1994.
He has denied the murder of Imelda Riney (29), and her three year old son, Liam, between April 28th and May 8th 1994.
He has also denied the murder of Father Joseph Walsh (37), the former curate of Eyrecourt, Co Galway, between May 3rd and May 8th 1994, and to falsely imprisoning Father Walsh.
Mr O'Donnell has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping Ms Fiona Sampson and Mr Edward Cleary in Co Galway on May 7th 1994 and to hijacking vehicles driven by both. He has further denied having a shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life and for unlawful purposes on the same date.
Mr O'Donnell went on trial at the Central Criminal Court on January 15th last before Mr Justice Lavan and a jury.
Following legal discussion in the absence of the jury last week, Mr Justice Lavan directed the trial be adjourned until February 7th next to allow the hearing of an issue of fitness to plead. He directed that a new jury be empanelled before a different judge yesterday.
The jury selected yesterday must determine Mr O'Donnell's fitness to plead to the charges. They must determine whether he is fit to plead, to follow the court proceedings and to instruct his counsel and solicitor.
The hearing gets under way at 11 a.m. today.