Kildare man pleads guilty to explosives charges

A Kildare man has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to the possession of explosive substances.

James Brennan (aged 44) of Rosconnell Avenue, Newbridge, and his co-accused Joseph Kirwan (aged 39), of Closelands, Ballybrittas, Co Laois, were arrested in February by members of the Special Detective Unit as part of on-going investigations in to the activities of dissident republicans.

This morning at the non-jury court Mr Brennan pleaded guilty to the possession of explosive substances, including six complete casings for a plate-type pipe-bomb, a Parva welder, a grinder and grinder blades, welding masks, lengths of steel and other materials at his home on February 28, 2013.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler, sitting with John O’Hagan and Judge William Hamill, said the court would list the matter for sentence on October 29.