The trial of six men accused of falsely imprisoning the former Tánaiste Joan Burton has heard that the root cause of an escalation in the protest had to be "laid firmly at the door of gardaí".

The lawyer for a man accused of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton at a water charge protest in 2014 says his client was not encouraging violence.

A Garda witness has told the trial of South Dublin councillor Michael Murphy for allegedly falsely imprisoning the former Tánaiste Joan Burton that the defendant was more concerned about bad publicity than anyone's safety.

Fines totalling €250,000 have been imposed on two companies and suspended prison sentences on two men arising out of the death of a young father of one on a Bray building site.