A judge has refused to remove a weekly signing on condition imposed on a Dublin man who denies public order offences connected to incidents during a protest outside the Dáil in September.
Philip Keogh (45), of Griffith Park, Finglas, is accused of threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour on September 20th at Molesworth Street and obstructing gardaí.
About 200 protesters had held a demonstration outside Leinster House as the Dáil returned to session after the summer recess.
Mr Keogh, who has been granted legal aid, was due to face a hearing and contest the charges at Dublin District Court on Wednesday. However, Judge Paula Murphy heard it could not proceed because the main Garda witness had to go on a training course at late notice, and the defence had been informed in advance.
The hearing was adjourned to December 18th.
Defence solicitor Donal Quigley asked the court to consider removing a bail condition requiring his client to sign on at a garda station once a week. Judge Murphy replied that it was "not particularly onerous", and the solicitor said his client "just doesn't like doing it".
"No, I will leave it as it is," Judge Murphy held.
At his first court appearance in September, Garda Glen Quinn said Mr Keogh had no reply when the offences were put to him.
"Following his arrest, he informed me he would not appear before the court on these charges because he does not recognise the charges," Garda Quinn had.
Disputing that, Mr Quigley had said it was not the case that his client did not recognise the charges, but rather that he "doesn't believe he should be charged", and did not admit the offences.
"It was a protest he was arrested at, and emotions in these matters can run quite high," the solicitor had said.
The court had refused to grant an order barring Mr Keogh and a co-defendant from Molesworth Street and the houses of the Oireachtas because there was a Constitutional right of assembly, and "that would be a step too far."
A co-defendant is back in court next week for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions about possible additional charges.
Gardaí at Pearse Street put in place a policing operation to facilitate the resumption of the 33rd Dáil. They arrested 13 people during the September 20th protests close to Government Buildings.
Nine other men, ranging in age, and two women, in their 40s and 30s, have faced prosecution, and some defendants were fined last month.
