The High Court has reserved judgment on a challenge by the DPP to the Special Criminal Court's decision to release confidential Garda statements to lawyers for Mr Paul Ward, who is charged with murdering Veronica Guerin.
The DPP wants the decision quashed and is also seeking declarations that it was wrong in law and exceeded the power of the Special Criminal Court.
Judgment has also been reserved on parallel proceedings taken by Mr Ward in which he claims a decision by the Special Criminal Court that it would read 20 other statements had prejudiced his chance of a fair trial before that court. The court has not actually read the statements.
Mr Ward is seeking a declaration that the Special Criminal Court ruling that it would read the statements was wrong in law. He also wants a direction that he be tried by judge and jury at the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Ward (33), with an address at Walkinstown Road, Dublin, denies murdering Veronica Guerin in 1996.
His trial opened before the special court on January 20th last and the following day that court ruled Mr Ward's lawyers could have access to 40 confidential statements.
The DPP initiated judicial review proceedings challenging that decision, and Mr Ward's trial has been adjourned to June 10th.
Mr Ward was also given leave to seek orders and declarations that the decision of the Special Criminal Court that it would read certain statements was wrong in law and prejudiced his chance of a fair trial before that court.
The proceedings opened before Mr Justice Carney on Wednesday and concluded yesterday.
At the close Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, for Mr Ward, said he had not, in his submissions to the court, advanced any argument that the Special Criminal Court had read the undisclosed Garda statements.