A MEMBER OF socialist republican group Éirígí has been charged in connection with a find of handguns and ammunition, the group has confirmed.

Ursula Ní Shionnáin was named by Éirígi as one of four people arrested on Tuesday  by Gardaí investigating the work of dissident republicans. Two firearms were recovered at the scene of the arrest in Offaly. All four appeared before an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin last night.

Secretary general of Éirígí Breandán Mac Cionnaith confirmed that Ní Shionnáin is a member of the group.

He said that Éirígí is not seeking to hide or minimise her membership and will not take any steps to distance itself from her.

“However, I have no doubt that some of the more sensationalist media outlets will try to exploit Ursula’s arrest to insinuate all sorts of conspiracy theories and to engage in McCarthy-like ‘reds under the beds’ hysteria against Éirigí,” he said in a statement. “That, of course, will be nothing new”.

He said Éirigí would not do or say anything which could undermine or jeopardise her legal defence in any way and said she is entitled to a presumption of innocence.