A MAN has been charged after a van was rammed into the gates of several State buildings in Dublin earlier this week.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday morning, during which entrances to buildings including Áras an Uachtaráin and the Houses of the Oireachtas were damaged.
RTÉ News reports that David O’Callaghan, from Woodbrook Glen, Bray, Co. Wicklow appeared in court on Saturday charged with five counts of criminal damage.
The 40-year-old was remanded in custody with consent to bail, subject to several conditions, and is due to appear in court again on August 8.
During Friday’s incident, a van reversed into the gates of the Presidential residence Áras an Uachtaráin in Phoenix Park at around 2.15am.
The vehicle was then driven around 5km to the Custom House, where again it reversed into the main entrance gates.
From there, the van was driven to nearby Merrion Street Upper, where three gates were rammed at the Houses of the Oireachtas, including the main entrance to the Department of the Taoiseach.