An electrician who stole 87 sticks of gelignite from the mine he worked for to supply the Continuity IRA was given an eight-year suspended jail sentence today.
At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Thomas Ryan, 25, from Kilscanlan, Foulksmills, Co Wexford pleaded guilty to possession of 87 sticks of gelignite weighing 33 kilogrammes with intent to enable another person to endanger life or damage property at Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny on December 18, last year.
Mr Justice Diarmuid O'Donovan, presiding, told Ryan the court was prepared to give him a chance and suspended the eight years prison sentence on condition that Ryan pay a £5,000 fine over three years, sign on at his local police station for three years and keep the peace for five years.
The judge said that Ryan had pleaded guilty to "an extremely serious offence" which had the potential of causing "appalling harm to persons and property" but the judge added that this was "an exceptional case".
He said that Ryan had owned up immediately, had co-operated fully with the Gardaí, had no previous convictions and had attracted "huge support" from every section of his community.
Detective Superintendent Peter Maguire said Ryan had joined Republican Sinn Féin in January 2000 and began working at Arcon Mines, Galmoy, Co Kilkenny in July last year.
He said that after his arrest Ryan admitted stealing the gelignite from the mine on seven occasions, at first taking only one stick but on the final two occasions stealing 20 sticks and then a box.
Det Supt Maguire said that Ryan led police to a hide on a small farm at Kilmacow in Co Kilkenny where the gelignite was hidden in a bin buried in the ground.
The farm was 50 miles from the mines where Ryan worked.
He said that Ryan, a former corporal in the FCA, had joined Republican Sinn Féin which had a military wing styling itself the Continuity IRA.
He said that people in the CIRA were aware that Ryan had access to explosives and they took advantage of him to acquire munitions "to carry on a terrorist war in Northern Ireland."
Ryan made statements to police in which he said: "I realise now I have made a huge mistake and I am very sorry."
Ryan said in evidence that he apologised to his family, friends and colleagues in the FCA for any upset he may have caused them.
He also gave an undertaking to the court that he would not associate with subversives or subversive organisations again.
PA