A SPECIAL CRIMINAL Court judge has told lawyers for Sean McGovern, who has applied for legal aid after being charged with murder and directing a criminal organisation, that the defendant has provided no information about how he funded his lifestyle in Dubai for the past eight years.

Presiding judge Ms Justice Karen O’Connor said today that the non-jury court was not satisfied about the level of information provided in a statement of means document, which she said had contained “at best, scant detail”.

Seán Guerin SC, for McGovern, said the matter was listed before the court to deal with questions about his client’s legal aid application.

Ms Justice O’Connor said the court had seen a statement of means and asked the prosecution whether the State had adopted a position.

Maddie Grant BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said it was a matter for the court and that the State had no observations or comments to make about the matter.

Ms Justice O’Connor said the statement of means document provided to the court was “very scant” in detail, which she called “a difficulty”. The judge added there was practically no detail contained in the document on certain questions.

“We have received no information or assistance on how Mr McGovern has been living for the last eight years in Dubai and how that has been funded. No details at all in respect of his financial position,” said Ms Justice O’Connor.

Mr Guerin said he was unable to assist, as he had signed instructions from his client.

“Are you saying you are not in a position to put anything further before the court?” asked the judge.

“The instructions I have are affecting the legal aid form before the court,” replied Mr Guerin.

After rising for a few minutes, Ms Justice O’Connor told Mr Guerin that the court had already said it was not satisfied about the level of information provided in the document; “we referred to it as at best, scant detail”.

Ms Justice O’Connor, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge David McHugh, said that the matter should be listed for mention next week so that the court could be provided with “some answers”.

McGovern (39), with a previous address at Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12 is charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on 22 December, 2016 at St Ronan’s Drive, Clondalkin in Dublin.

Further offences with which McGovern is charged include directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the same murder between 20 October 2016 and 22 December, 2016.

He is also charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the surveillance of James Gately in preparation for the commission of an indictable offence between 17 October, 2015 and 6 April, 2017.

Another charge alleges that between 20 October and 22 December, 2016 he contributed to or participated in activity intending or being reckless as to whether such activity would facilitate a criminal organisation in the murder of Mr Kirwan.

He faces a similar charge of facilitating a criminal organisation in a conspiracy to murder James Gately.

He was previously extradited from the United Arab Emirates to face the charges, but in June, lawyers for McGovern raised a concern about the legality of his return to Ireland.