Dublin man jailed for INLA membership

A young Dublin man was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court today for INLA membership.

Gareth Byrne (aged 28) of Park Crescent, Kimmage, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty before the special three-judge, non-jury court on January 14 last, to membership of an illegal organisation, namely the Irish National Liberation Army, on September 9, 2008.

Detective Sergeant Patrick O’Malley, Special Detective Unit, told Mr Paul Greene SC, prosecuting, that Byrne was arrested in the early hours of September 9, 2008 and detained under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act.

He said Byrne, a father of one, made an early admission as to his membership of the organisation.

The court, with Mr Justice Paul Butler presiding, heard the young Dublin man came from a “respectable” family and was in a long-term relationship with the mother of his young son.

Byrne, who has a number of previous convictions for unrelated matters, is due to become a father again in a few months time, and has a “good work history”.

Defence Counsel, Mr Jonathan Kilfeather SC, told the court on February 8 last, it was announced that the INLA’s weapons “had been decommissioned”.

He said his client was “fully supportive” of this move.

Passing sentence today, the Special Criminal Court said the decommissioning of arms by the INLA was a matter “for the Executive”.

The court said an “appropriate sentence” in a case such as this, would have been five years but for Byrne’s early admission.

A term of four years was imposed, backdated to the 1st of this month to account for time already served in custody.