Four Dublin men have appeared at a special sitting of the District Court in Portlaoise tonight, charged with conspiracy to rob the Allied Irish Bank Branch in Abbeyleix last Friday.
The four men who have been charged are: 24-year-old Gareth Quinn of Maplewood Way, in Tallaght, 32-year-old Kevin Lynch of Glenshane Crescent, in Tallaght, 36-year-old John Bishop of St Ronan's Drive in Clondalkin and 20-year-old Ian Quinn with an address at St Aengus Road, Tymon North, in Tallaght.
Three of the four men were also charged with the unauthorised taking of cars at various locations around Dublin City and county between 21 November and 5 December. The fourth man, Gareth Quinn, was charged with being a passenger in a stolen car at Main Street, Abbeyleix on Friday.
All four men were remanded in custody to appear again at a sitting of the District Court in Abbeyleix next Thursday.
At the outset of tonight's court sitting, Judge Jim O'Sullivan said that he wished to take the opportunity to extend his condolences to the family of Detective Sergeant John Eiffe. The Garda was accidentally shot and killed by a colleague during the raid.
Detective Sergeant Eiffe's funeral will take place on Tuesday in his native village of Rathoath in County Meath. The 40-year-old's body will be removed from a funeral home in Dunshauglin for a private ceremony at Rathoath church.
He will be buried in Rathoath cemetery after 11am mass on Tuesday morning.
