Vol. 471 No. 8
31 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Justice whether the 16 prisoners released and rearrested following the improper constitution of the Special Criminal Court are the only people affected by the court's decisions during the period when it was not properly constituted. [21811/96]
48 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Justice whether Judge Dominic Lynch participated in cases in the Special Criminal Court since 1 August 1996, where bail was granted; if so, the cases involved and the charges brought. [21789/96]
50 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Justice the precise number of cases heard by the invalidly constituted Special Criminal Court between 1 August and 1 October 1996; and the number of cases heard between 1 October and 5 November 1996. [21759/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 48 and 50 together.
His Honour, Judge Dominic Lynch participated in sittings of the Special Criminal Court on four dates since 1 August 1996, viz., 8, 15, 16 and 28 October. At those sittings the court heard 11 cases involving 21 persons.
Arising out of these four sittings, a total of 17 persons were remanded in custody and four other persons were remanded on continuing bail. One of the 17 persons remanded in custody at a sitting of the Special Criminal Court which included Judge Lynch was subsequently granted bail at a sitting of that court which did not include Judge Lynch. In addition, one of the persons who was remanded in custody at a sitting of the court including Judge Lynch, was so remanded following the refusal of his bail application.
The cases where persons were remanded on continuing bail at sittings of the Special Criminal Court which included Judge Lynch and the charges brought in those cases are set out hereunder:
|
Date |
Case |
Charge |
|
8 October |
DPP-v-Colm Peake |
Possession of firearms |
|
15 October |
DPP-v-John Quinn |
Membership of an unlawful organisation and possession of ammunition |
|
15 October |
DPP-v-Robert McGilloway |
Possession of explosives |
|
15 October |
DPP-v-Pauric Fee |
Possession of explosives |
