Man due in court over criminal damage to State buildings

A man in his 40s has been charged in connection with incidents of criminal damage at several State buildings early on Friday.

He remains in Garda custody and is set to appear before Dublin District Court on Saturday morning.

He will face charges in connection with five ramming incidents in Dublin, at Áras an Uachtaráin and at four Government sites, spread over a distance of some 7km.

As well as the official residence of the President, the gates at the Department of Housing on Custom House Quay and three sets of gates at Government Buildings, as well as the gates at the office of the Taoiseach were damaged.

There was visible damage to the gates to the Department of the Taoiseach and to the gates to Leinster Lawn on Friday, but they remained in place.

One of a set of two gates close to the office of the Attorney General was knocked from its hinges. This gate covers a laneway beside and behind the Attorney General’s office and around the back, passing the Departments of Finance and Agriculture.

The white van used to ram the gates was extensively damaged to the front and rear of the vehicle. It was removed by gardaí at about 8am on Friday and taken for technical examination.