A 40-year-old man wanted in the UK to face charges in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants in the UK last October has been remanded in custody.
Ronan Hughes, from Leitrim, Silverstream, Tyholland in Co Monaghan, is facing 39 charges of manslaughter and a charge of assisting unlawful immigration.
He was arrested by gardaí yesterday and brought before the High Court in Dublin on foot of a European arrest warrant.
The bodies of the 39 Vietnamese migrants were discovered in a refrigerated trailer parked on an industrial estate in Grays in Essex, England, on 23 October last year.
Detective Sergeant James Kirwan of the Garda's Extradition Section told the court that he arrested Mr Hughes at 5.15pm yesterday at his home at in Co Monaghan on foot of a European arrest warrant endorsed by the High Court.
Mr Justice Paul Byrnes said he was satisfied that Mr Hughes was the person before the court who was named on the warrant and he formally informed him of his right to agree to his extradition and his right to legal representation.
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The judge also said he wanted clarification of a number of technical issues in relation to the charges and he also wanted details of the alleged role of Mr Hughes in the alleged offences.
Senior Counsel Ronan Kennedy for the State said that he would draft a document and share it with the defence.
The court heard that Mr Hughes has to give four days' notice of a bail application and that gardaí would be objecting to bail.
Mr Hughes was remanded in custody for a bail hearing next week.
Last week, 25-year-old Maurice Robinson from Craigavon in Co Armagh pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter at the Old Bailey in London.
Another man from Northern Ireland, 23-year-old Eamon Harrison from Mayobridge in Co Down, is appealing his extradition to the UK.
