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Louth man charged with IRA membership bailed

Owen McCann was released on bail at the Special Criminal Court
Owen McCann was released on bail at the Special Criminal Court

A Louth man arrested last week on IRA and firearms charges has been released on bail at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

Owen McCann, 35, was arrested in Dundalk last Friday by members of the Special Detective Unit as part of an ongoing operation targeting dissident republican activity.

Mr McCann, of Annaloughan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on 18 December 2015.

Mr McCann was also charged with two counts of possession of firearms including a rifle, conversion kit for pistols and ammunition on 17 December 2015.

State solicitor Michael O'Donovan told the three-judge, non-jury court that the DPP were not objecting to Mr McCann's bail application.

Mr O'Donovan went on to read the bail conditions to the court, which heard that Mr McCann must reside in Dundalk, sign on daily at Dundalk garda station, obey a daily curfew of 11pm to 7am and provide a mobile phone number to gardaí.

Mr McCann must also surrender his passport and all travel documents, not leave the jurisdiction or enter Northern Ireland, not associate with anybody charged with a scheduled offence and not contact directly or indirectly any proposed prosecution witnesses.

Conan Fegan BL, for Mr McCann, told the court that the accused man consented to the bail conditions.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Anne Ryan, listed the case for mention again before the Special Criminal Court on 16 March next year.