Son of Sinn Féin TD accused of public order offences

Tom Tuite

A son of Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has been accused of public order offences at a Dublin garda station and possessing stolen tools.

Lorcan Ó Snodaigh, 25, appeared before Judge Marie Quirke at a weekend sitting of Dublin District Court following his arrest on Saturday morning.

He was charged with breach of the peace at Store Street station in the city centre, not complying with a garda direction to desist from that behaviour and leave the vicinity in a peaceable or orderly manner, and possessing a stolen Milwaukee angle grinder and power drill on April 29th.

Judge Quirke heard he had gone to the station over a bench warrant in a district court case about a disputed Luas fare fine.

Mr Ó Snodaigh, of Aughavanagh Road, Crumlin, Dublin, told Judge Quirke he did not have a solicitor and added, “No, I am okay” when she advised that the court could appoint one.

Garda Darragh O’Gorman said the accused was arrested at 9.05 am and replied, “You have zero grounds”, in answer to the charges.

The garda also said the accused had been offered a solicitor several times.

Mr Ó Snodaigh explained he did not want one and “I just want to walk out those doors; I am only here on a warrant”.

He said the warrant was from not having a Luas ticket, but he added, “I’m entitled to free travel”.  However, the judge noted there were also other charges.

As for the power tools, he said, “They [gardaí] are saying stolen property. There is no victim”.

There was no objection to bail.

Judge Quirke ordered the disclosure of prosecution evidence.

She told Mr Ó Snodaigh to return to court in June on the public order and stolen property charges and in May for the Luas fare matter, adding, “You are free to leave”.

His father, Aengus O Snodaigh, a Sinn Féin TD for the Dublin South-Central constituency, is the party spokesperson on Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht