Request for garda phone tapes adjourns IRA trial

Lawyers for two men charged with IRA membership have sought confirmation as to whether telephone calls made by their clients from garda stations were recorded, in what is understood to be the first court case affected by the garda phone taping revelations.

Thomas McMahon (aged 31) and his co-accused Noel Noonan (aged 34) were due to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court this morning, but Ms Isobel Kennedy SC said that a matter had arisen “in light of recent events of which we are all aware”.