Lawyers say 'significant opposition' will meet O'Reilly bail application

Lawyers for the State say there will be significant opposition to any bail application by convicted murderer Joe O'Reilly.

The 39-year-old is serving life in prison for killing his wife Rachel at their home in Naul, Co Dublin in October 2004.

He has appeared in court as part of his miscarriage-of-justice bid. He maintains he is innocent of his wife's murder .

He lost a 2009 appeal against his conviction and now hopes to have the conviction overturned by having it declared a miscarriage of justice.

Under order, O'Reilly was brought from Portlaoise prison to court today. He appeared in a dark suit and tie and confirmed that last week he hired solicitor Frank Buttimer to represent him and that he intends to apply for bail.

O'Reilly needs to show newly discovered facts have come to light if he is to have his miscarriage of justice bid considered.

It has emerged one ground he intends to rely on relates to concerns that the book of evidence was found in the jury room at his original murder trial.

Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman says it is not clear from the papers lodged why this matters and he says the case must proceed rapidly and be based on evidence, not mere assertion.

The case has been put back to March 7.