Sinn Fein political manager, Nicky Kehoe has told the High Court his arrest during a shootout with gardai in a foiled kidnap attempt of multi-millionaire Galen Weston in 1983 had to be seen "in the historical context" of the IRA hunger strikes of the time.

It is "entirely false and untrue" Sinn Féin political manager, Nicky Kehoe, was a senior member of the IRA army council and was controlling how its councillors voted on Dublin City Council, his lawyer told the High Court today.