LAST UPDATE | 20 hrs ago

THE SPECIAL CRIMINAL Court has heard that Daniel Kinahan is to apply for bail.

Kinahan (49) is charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation between 18 October 2015 and 6 April 2017. 

He appeared before Judge Caroline Biggs in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin this morning. 

There was a large garda presence outside the court as a convoy with multiple vehicles from the Armed Support Unit arrived shortly before the hearing. 

Dressed in a grey suit and black shirt, Kinahan didn’t speak during the appearance.

Dominic McGinn, acting for the prosecution, asked for the accused to be remanded in custody until 21 December.

McGinn said the book of evidence will take several weeks to prepare due to the “complex factual matrix” behind the charge. He said the statement of facts which acted as the basis for the extradition of Kinahan to Ireland in July was 189 pages alone.

Kinahan, alleged to be a leader of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 15 April on foot of an arrest warrant issued by the Irish courts.

Kinahan was extradited to Ireland from the UAE on 9 July. He was flown to Casement Aerodrome on board the government jet, the Dassault Falcon 6X.

After being brought to the Central Criminal Court in Dublin with a heavy police escort, he was charged the same day at the Special Criminal Court with a single count of directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017. 

Solicitor Darragh Mackin from Phoenix Law, who is representing Kinahan, said that he would be applying for bail on behalf of Kinahan in due course. 

Mackin said Kinahan’s legal team is seeking experts to examine digital evidence, and also seeking disclosure of information relating to international investigations.

Kinahan was remanded in custody until 21 December. 

Speaking outside the court after the hearing, Mackin said “we’re anxious to make progress”.

“The rule of law applies equally to everybody. Nobody’s above the rule of law, but equally, nobody’s below the rule of law,” he said.

“We now look forward to a trial, hopefully in the early part of next year.”