*Gardaí were unaware of the planned trip to Turkey.
A judge has questioned if an Ennis woman’s planned trip while on bail to Turkey concerns health tourism.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made his comment in response to Kelly O’Loughlin’s application to vary her bail conditions to allow her travel to the UK and onward to Turkey for a family holiday.
Judge Gabbett asked, “Definitely holidays? Not health tourism? It is very common around here”.
He said, “There could be a genuine health reason – that is why I am asking”.
Counsel for Ms O’Loughlin (33) of Pearse Avenue, Cloiughleigh, Ennis, Martin Durack BL said that it is not health tourism and the purpose of the trip is a holiday for Ms O’Loughlin, her husband John and their eight children.
Mr Durack said that it is his information that others will be joining the O’Loughlins on their holidays.
Judge Gabbett said, “The more the better.”
Judge Gabbett said that Ms O’Loughlin is charged with affray and assault and has surrendered her passport as part of her bail conditions.
He said that a Book of Evidence will be served on Ms O’Loughlin next month for the case to go to Ennis Circuit Court.
Asked to comment on the application, Det Garda Noelle Bergin told the court, “We were on notice on Monday about the trip to the UK and to stay in the UK and travel back – there was no mention of Turkey and this morning was the first time that we were informed about Turkey”.
She said, “The State was not on notice for it.”
Judge Gabbett was told that Kelly O’Loughlin’s co-accused, John O’Loughlin has a similar application before the High Court on June 3rd to allow him to go on the Turkey holiday “and tickets are already booked for the flight”.
The court was told that the O’Loughlins’ departure date is June 19th and Judge Gabbett said that he needed to see the flight tickets purchased for the holiday.
Judge Gabbett said that there was plenty of time to make the application on an adjourned court date and adjourned the application to June 11th to Ennis District Court.
In the case, Ms O’Loughlin is charged with affray on October 31st at Pearse Avenue, Cloughleigh, Ennis and one count of assault at the same location on the same date.
The court heard previously that John O’Loughlin (32) with the same address is charged in connection with the alleged assault of a 14-year old girl who was chaperoning younger children ‘trick or treating’ on Halloween night.
Det Sgt John Casey previously told the court that Mr O’Loughlin is involved with an alleged feud with another family in Ennis and the children ‘trick or treating’ on Halloween night “were children from the other side”.
He said that on the night the situation arose when the children “ventured down the cul de sac where John O’Loughlin resides in Cloughleigh and I am satisfied those children did not know where John O’Loughlin lives”.
Det Sgt Casey stated that the Halloween night incident “happened in a wider context where there is an ongoing feud between Mr O’Loughlin’s family and the other side”.
Det Sgt Casey said that there is currently calm in the alleged feud.
