A truck driver from Co Tyrone has been before Listowel District Court charged with dangerous driving arising out of the collapse of a bridge near Lixnaw in Kerry last week.
Around 50 pigs died when the trailer they were in ended up in the river after the bridge collapsed.
Ballinagar Bridge snapped last Thursday and collapsed into the tidal River Brick below as it was crossed by an articulated lorry drawing a trailer containing pigs.
The pigs had been collected from a farm in the area and were on their way to a meat factory.
It is believed that around 50 of the 250 pigs died after part of the trailer became submerged in the river.
It was over 12 hours after the bridge collapsed before a crane lifted the truck and its trailer back onto the river bank.
The driver of the truck escaped uninjured, while a woman and her passenger travelling in a car behind the truck had a lucky escape when their car was left teetering on the edge after the bridge collapsed.
Ballinagar Bridge, a steel structure, was constructed in 1993 and spanned more than 30 metres. It was inspected by engineers and deemed structurally sound before Christmas.
However, a 12-tonne weight limit was imposed and this was indicated in signs on approach roads to the bridge.
Today, 48-year-old David Patterson from Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone, was charged at Listowel District Court with dangerous driving arising out of that incident.
Garda Inspector Martin McCarthy described the charge as a particularly serious one.
He said the case would involve technical evidence which would take some time to prepare and he applied for an adjournment until late April.
Mr Patterson will remain on bail until then.
