The prosecution case in the trial of Mr John Gilligan, the man accused of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, closed at the Special Criminal Court yesterday.
Mr Gilligan's counsel, Mr Terence McDonald QC, said he would be making submissions that his client had no case to answer on all the counts he was charged with.
The court agreed to adjourn the trial until next Tuesday when it will hear the defence submissions and the prosecution's response.
Earlier, the court rejected a defence application that Mr Gilligan should be released immediately and ruled that Mr Gilligan was lawfully before the court.
It was the 35th day of the trial of Mr Gilligan (48), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin; Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, Mucklon, Enfield, Co Kildare; and HM Prison Belmarsh, London, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sunday Independent crime reporter Ms Veronica Guerin (37) at Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin on June 26th, 1996.
Mr Gilligan also denies 15 other counts alleging the importation of cannabis and firearms and ammunition offences.
The prosecution has claimed that Mr Gilligan was "in control and command" of a criminal gang that imported and distributed large amounts of cannabis and that he organised the murder of Ms Guerin.
Mr Gilligan's counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins, submitted there had been "improper conduct" between the gardai and the UK authorities to keep Mr Gilligan in custody in England while Garda inquiries into the murder continued in 1997.
He submitted that Mr Gilligan should have been released once the UK authorities decided in September 1997 not to proceed with their prosecution against him and that he was therefore not lawfully before the Special Criminal Court.
Mr Justice O'Donovan, presiding, said the court rejected the suggestion that there was any evidence of improper conduct by either police authority.