Ex-mayor’s son faces €3.2m drug allegation

THE son of a former Lord Mayor of Dublin has appeared in court where he was charged in connection with an alleged €3.2m drugs haul.

Shane Keating (41), who is the son of former Fine Gael politician Michael Keating (71), appeared before Trim District Court in Co Meath yesterday.

He was charged after a major investigation by the Garda’s Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB).

Shane Keating faced three charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act and was remanded in custody with consent to bail.

Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by Det Gda John Rourke of the DOCB.

The offences are alleged to have occurred at Curragha Road, Ratoath, Co Meath, on January 31, 2017.

Mr Keating, a company director, of Seapark Hill, Malahide, Co Dublin, is next due to appear at Cloverhill District Court in Dublin next week.

The defendant was previously arrested in relation to this case last August and questioned at Finglas garda station but he was released without charge while gardaí prepared a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who directed that charges be brought.

A 33-year-old man from Ashbourne, Co Meath, was previously charged in relation to the same alleged seizure and he has been sent forward for trial.

Mr Keating’s father was Minister of State in the Department of Education in 1981 and became Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1983. He left Fine Gael to join the newly formed Progressive Democrat party and became deputy leader.