A DUBLIN WOMAN arrested near Leinster House while allegedly armed with a screwdriver after threatening to attack a TD has been granted bail with strict conditions.

Dublin District Court heard that Sinead Keogh, 33, of Glin Crescent, Coolock, had suffered mental health problems and was attempting to draw attention to herself at the time.

She is charged with possessing a screwdriver as a weapon during the incident on 21 July on Molesworth Street and spent five weeks in custody on remand until her bail hearing today.

Objecting to bail, Garda Mark O’Neill said the woman was arrested in the vicinity of Leinster House, “having made threats to a member of Dáil Éireann”.

He said she had breached conditions and broke a previous order to stay away from the building.

He agreed that the woman had been held earlier in the day under Mental Health Act. But a doctor found self-inflicted cuts to her arm were superficial and “attention seeking” and held that she should not be admitted to hospital.

The garda also had concerns that she had no fixed address.

Later the woman allegedly rang a crisis centre and threatened to attack a government member, the court head.

Defence solicitor Michael Kelleher told the court that her mental health deteriorated in the lead-up, and she phoned a helpline beforehand.

He added that she had been attempting to “draw attention” to herself, and he thought the risk now was “extremely low”.

Her father told the court that she had been getting medical help and it was still available, and that she noticed she had calmed down in custody.

He said she could return to his home.

Judge Grainne Malone set bail in her bond of €350 and ordered her to follow the directions of her medical practitioners, stay out of Dublin 1 and Dublin 2 in the city centre, and obey a curfew from 6.30pm to 6am.

The accused told the court she understood and was warned she risked going back into custody by breaking the terms.

She has not yet indicated a plea and was ordered to appear again next week.

Comments are closed as legal proceedings are ongoing.