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O'Sullivan 'stands over' support for man arrested on explosives charges before Prince Charles visit

Donal O’Coisdealbha was jailed for five and a half years yesterday after pleading guilty to IRA membership.

INDEPENDENT TD MAUREEN O’Sullivan says she stands over her letter expressing dismay at the long period spent on remand by IRA member Donal O Coisdealbha.

O Coisdealbha was jailed for five and a half years yesterday after he was arrested on explosives-related charges in the run-up to the visit of Britain’s Prince Charles.

In July, O’Sullivan wrote a letter to the judge objecting to the amount of time the 25-year-old Dubliner had spent in on remand.

Speaking to RTE’s Morning Ireland this morning, O’Sullivan said she knew the prisoner, but has also been involved in campaigning for prisoners’ issues in general.

O’Sullivan said the reason for the letter – in which she described O Coisdealbha as a “fine, intelligent, articulate and hardworking young man” – was to highlight the length of time it takes some prisoners to come before court.

O’Sullivan said:

What I wrote in the letter I can stand over. I also made the point in the letter that this is very regrettable what had happened, and the situation that he was in.
And it was in way an attempt to interfere with the judicial process.

“The letter was written in the context of an application for bail. I was highlighting why people are left so long on remand.

“No way was I condoning or endorsing or supporting what he was pleading guilty to.”

The Prince of Wales with headteachers File photo of the Prince of Wales. PA Archive / PA Images PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images

Puzzling

Sentencing O Coisdealbha yesterday at the Special Criminal Court, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said that the evidence against the man was “significant” and even “overwhelming”.

Last month, O Coisdealbha (25), of Abbeyfield, Killester in Dublin 5 pleaded guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State on 13 May, 2015.

Justice Kennedy referred Maureen O’Sullivan’s letter of July of this year, in which she expressed dismay as regards the length of time O Coisdealbha had spent in custody.

The judge referred to an expression in Deputy O’Sullivan’s letter as “puzzling”.

“I was actually puzzled that judges would not be concerned at the length of time they are keeping people on remand,” O’Sullivan said today.

I mean at that stage, when I wrote the letter and we were prepared to go bail, he had been in jail for over a year, without being brough to court.

“It was in no way trying to interfere in judicial process. The concern was length of time people being left on remand without being brought to court,” she added.

Prince Charles Donegal Prince Charles in Donegal last year. PA PA

Physical force

The Dublin TD also said in the letter that she was certain if given a chance O Coisdealbha would go on to live his life in a “positive, kind way”.

Today, she said: “I suppose from conversations that I’ve had with him, that I feel that this is something in his life that he regrets and that he would like to put behind him and to be a good member of society, after he finishes his sentence.

I wrote the letter in terms of the bail hearing, and it’s really disturbing that it’s being taken as an endorsement of violence and the use of physical force.
Anyone that knows me, and the work that I do will be very clear that there is no way that I would endorse the use of physical force.

“I think the judge is taking a major leap in her surmising, she has put two and two together and come up with 10, and not four. As I said, I do not endorse the use of physical force.”

Asked whether she was aware that the accused was going to plead guilty to the charges, O’Sullivan said: “No, absolutely not.”

Read: Man arrested on explosives charges before visit of Prince Charles jailed for five and a half years

Read: Semtex, detonators and homemade explosives found before Prince Charles visit

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44 Comments
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    Mute Charlie Wrex
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    Dec 7th 2016, 1:53 PM

    A fine intelligent articulate young man – who planned to blow people up. Unbelievable.

    556
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:02 PM

    Most of the dissidents actually aren’t very intelligent when you talk to them it’s the first thing that hits you

    They think the Dails illegitimate because it’s not a 32 county one and their “council ” is the real legitimate government
    They dismiss the GFA votes authority on the grounds that only the north voted on the peace deal the south only voted on articles 2 and 3, I guess they didn’t notice the bit on the ballot paper that said “the state consents to be bound by the British-Irish Agreement done in Belfast on 10 April 1998″
    When you point that out the go quiet before saying ‘hey look at that barrel I think I’ll desperately scrape the bottom of it….’ and say “the people have no right to do wrong”….I don’t think they know what “republican” actually means

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    Mute Sean taoiseach
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:10 PM

    If they don’t recognise the dail then why would they have a Dail public representative to make representations on their behalf if you are involved in republicanism whatever your reasons you should be prepared to face the consequences probably better off being on remand he get time already served off his sentence

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    Mute Dessie Curley
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:33 PM

    The judge said ‘I found it puzzling’ was his politically correct way of saying ‘what sort of a clown have we got here’

    228
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    Mute David Murphey
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:40 PM

    Wallace and Daly also attended court to show their support for this thug.

    253
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    Mute Rusty Balls
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:51 PM

    Every bloody idiot who attempts to kill someone knows others, probably some politician willing to write to a judge or two, and, like it or not this IS an attempt to interfere in judicial process. She may try to convince herself that because she knows him it’s excusable, but, just NO.

    148
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    Mute Patrick Gough
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    Dec 7th 2016, 3:12 PM

    ryan never argue with a fanatic be he republican or nazi or communist or Islamic nut or Christian fundamentalist. you can’t win.

    77
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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Dec 7th 2016, 3:50 PM

    @Ryan Carroll: You are correct of course – but that view you articulate is the same view that generations of republicans have had – and it was a similar view held by Connolly, Pearse et al that read out the proclamation in 1916.

    It is a fact that the GFA was not a border poll on Irish re-unification but an endorsement of a multi-party agreement to end violence and seek a new way forward it has brought a tentative peace unknown in the north for decades. It has however also further entrenched sectarianism to a point where it bubbles over and is kept stoked by SF/DUP for their own ends. The editing of articles 2 and 3 from our constitution was a bitter pill one which i still find sticks in the craw.

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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Dec 7th 2016, 6:09 PM

    @David Murphey:

    They also made excuses for the Paris mass-murderers.

    http://www.newstalk.com/Mick-Wallace-and-Clare-Daly-face-backlash-after-comments-in-wake-of-Paris-attacks

    35
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Dec 7th 2016, 6:17 PM

    @Ciarán Masterson:They did indeed and the vast majority of people cannot see any difference between
    I.SI.S. and any of the various I.R.A’s

    24
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    Mute ReChew A.
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    Dec 7th 2016, 10:07 PM

    Charlie at this rate Deputy O’Sullivan should be going around her constituency in the next election telling her constituents that she supports the drug lords who are responsible for the chronic devastation of beautiful young people in Dublin Central.

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    Mute Mo
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    Dec 8th 2016, 3:16 AM

    Herself, Clare Daly, Mick Wallace & Eamon O’Cuiv did the same in Derry for 2 INLA boys convicted of murdering PSNI officer Stephen Carroll.

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    Mute John Campbell
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    Dec 7th 2016, 1:59 PM

    Deputy O’Sullivan is clearly out of her depth in this situation. No matter what spin she tries to put on it she was out of order in writing this letter. A lot of these prisoners will tell tall stories to anybody willing to help them skip conviction.

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    Mute Michael Devlin
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:10 PM

    Garda Tony Golden was murdered by a dissident republican who was BAILED from the special criminal court on weapons charges . This man was refused bail because of overwhelming evidence and the seriousness of the charges. Rightly so. Using your political influence to sway the judiciary is wrong full stop

    219
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:01 PM

    Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to make submissions to the courts like that.

    206
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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:05 PM

    How an She stand over this, Bobby Molloy RIP, wrote a letter in support of someone and had to resign. If this was a FF or FG member the media would be calling loudly. I saw something that Wallace and Daly along with O’Sullivan offered to go bail for this yoke some time ago. It is time that we were rid of the free wheelers out of the Dail .Give them welly.

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    Mute Seamus Og
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    Dec 7th 2016, 4:34 PM

    Eugene…What world are you living in. FF/FG are the most corrupt, dishonest morons we have ever had in the dail and they have the media in their pockets.

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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Dec 7th 2016, 5:45 PM

    @Seamus Og:, you are another of them that suffers from tunnel vision. FF , FG , they are always wrong. The free wheeling sole traders are never wrong. They can say and do as the please, of course that is why they are sole traders. Maureen , Wallace and Daly wanted to go bail for a terrorist, she writes a letter in his favour and ” no harm done” , as long as you are not a FF of FG man..

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    Mute Michael Devlin
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    Dec 7th 2016, 1:57 PM

    Absolutely disgraceful that in the year 2016 politicians still try to use their influence on the judiciary because “ah i know your man hes sound” . Its very unfair to the other terrorists found with semtex if they dont personally know a politician

    184
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    Mute Michael Devlin
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:24 PM

    It angers me when she uses the excuse she is campaigning for all prisoners. Prisoners arent hard done by in this country . I watched a video clip on tv the other night of john gilligan and his cronies having a party in our maximum security prison. She should try campaigning for victims rights . An example that comes to mind in Martin Mc Dermott killing Garda Gary Mc Loughlin while on bail. He then gets locked up in a walk in prison where unsurprisingly he escapes. Hes then rearrested in the north after assaulting a psni officer…. now get this. He STILL gets out before his sentence is up . Hes now awaiting trial in the north for drug dealing(bail refused rightly so) . If he served his full time for killing a Garda he would be released in 2019 let that sink in . Thank god we have TDs campaigning for our hard done prisoners

    181
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    Mute Reg
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:35 PM

    If she had a problem with the length of time this idiot spent on remand then she should be writing to the minister of justice, DPP, courts service etc. This was an attempt to interfere in the case.

    144
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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:00 PM

    Disgraceful that she (osullivan) saw fit to condone this individual.

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    Mute Irish big fellow
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    Dec 7th 2016, 1:57 PM

    Next she will be appealing that the sentence was too harsh.

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    Mute Reg
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:14 PM

    If this was any other politician writing to defend a drink driver or something similar there would be uproar and rightly so. O’Sullivan’s moral compass is way off the mark on this one. Very pleased that the judge called her out on it, there should be other sanctions.

    128
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    Mute Joey Hackman
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    Dec 7th 2016, 3:07 PM

    Very poor judgement by this TD. Rather than campaigning for remand prisoners maybe she’d get in behind victims of crimes and terror and show her mettle there?

    103
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    Mute Tom Burke
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:46 PM

    Maureen, Maureen, Maureen.

    A word of advice, stop digging.
    You can’t defend your actions. This wasn’t a man in court for no TV licence. Read the charges again and think.

    You also said you are ‘certain’ he won’t go on to reoffend.

    Is this an Irish ‘certain’ which means your not certain ‘a tall a tall’ but you merely think he won’t reoffend?

    89
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    Mute Kevin Moylan
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:21 PM

    another quack of a politician.who vote these clowns in .Look at the state of the country after them,about time a few of them were locked up

    85
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Dec 7th 2016, 3:42 PM

    Kevin she only scraped in but your right. It’s a bloody joke

    50
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    Mute David McCormack
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    Dec 7th 2016, 3:11 PM

    O’Sullivan, should just do the decent thing and resign, how could she defend a plot to blow up a visiting dignitary?! Incredible.

    81
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Dec 7th 2016, 8:35 PM

    Not to mention him bringing an explosive kit into his workplace to store it. Great respect for others there.

    11
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:18 PM

    There should be no punishment for criminals. If he’d been successful what would she write about him. Stupid woman

    70
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    Mute alphanautica
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:37 PM

    Has the Good Republican defence fallen out of favour?

    The public we’re happy to hear Gerry’s backing Slab on those grounds. Surely this is just the same thing? Demonstrating wholesome Republican values we can be proud of?

    58
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    Mute John Reese
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    Dec 7th 2016, 5:22 PM

    An Irish member of Parliament stand up for a convicted terrorist. That reads well for an international headline.
    Maureen, stand down you fool. If your on the side of vermin like this you have no oral authority to represent the law abiding people of this country. Shameful.

    53
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    Mute Randal McNally
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    Dec 7th 2016, 4:38 PM

    What a stupid woman this is ?!

    36
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    Mute Paul
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:13 PM

    Her teacher teaches me in school!

    It was wrong for her to write the letter, not TD should do something like that.

    30
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    Mute Paul
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:27 PM

    Should of said her sister

    28
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    Mute Patrick Gough
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    Dec 7th 2016, 3:19 PM

    I’m very disappointed in her. This is a long way from tony Gregory’s ideals.

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    Mute mursim
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    Dec 7th 2016, 4:37 PM

    @Paul: Should HAVE said her sister.

    She can’t be a very good teacher if you are making basic grammar mistakes like that

    29
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    Mute Roland D Hay
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    Dec 7th 2016, 1:51 PM

    Great teeth on her.
    What’s the rest like?

    23
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    Mute John Considine
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    Dec 7th 2016, 2:19 PM

    She seems to have more teeth than brain cells.

    70
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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Dec 7th 2016, 6:11 PM

    Did it not occur to O’Sullivan that the DPP wouldn’t have prosecuted if there wasn’t a strong case?!

    As for convicted criminals on remand before the trial, they have their sentences backdated to the commencement of their detention.

    22
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    Mute Enforcer
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    Dec 7th 2016, 8:13 PM

    This is the problem with electing these leftie liberal lunnies they jump on any pathetic little bandwagon to gain attention and votes.We already have Wallace and Gromit behaving like a pair of drop out college students living in flower power 1960s America who along with this misguided hippie should be forced to resign from the Dail.

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    Mute Micheal OLainn
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    Dec 7th 2016, 9:09 PM

    It should be a serious criminal offence for anyone to write to a Judge in the course of a criminal prosecution and prior to sentencing. It should be a criminal offence, but a less serious one, to write to Judge when the trial is over.

    The administration of justice should not be subverted by letters from any politicians in any cases.

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    Mute Michael Devlin
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    Dec 7th 2016, 9:50 PM

    You can express your opinion on maureenosullivan.ie as ive done

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