Ten people appeared in court today charged in connection with garda searches for undocumented workers at four Dublin lap-dancing clubs last June.
The ten are directors, operators or managers of the clubs and between them face 95 counts of employing around 30 women, mainly from eastern Europe, without work permits, contrary to the Employment Permits Act 2003.
Four companies, of which some of the ten are directors, are included in the summonses.
Dublin District Court heard the Chief Prosecution Solicitor (CPS) was still awaiting final instructions from the DPP and an adjournment of four to six weeks in all cases was sought.
Ms Mary Cullen and Mr Martin Cullen, operators of Strings in Leeson Street and their company Zalavir Builders face 39 summonses; Mr Chris Kelly, a director of Starshine View Ltd., owners of Club Lapello in Dame Street, faces seven summonses; Mr Edward Fahy, Ms Sinead Fahy and Mr Paul Lawless, of La Petite, Great Denmark Street, and the company which owns it, Archester Ltd, are up on 28 summonses; Mr David Long, Ms Louise Keane, Mr Stephen Pell and Ms Gareth Ward of "Playmates" in Parnell Street, along with the holding company, are summonsed on 21 counts.
Playmates is owed by a company called the Dublin Sport Cafe Ltd which the court heard is now in liquidation. A letter from the liquidator Mr Ken Fennell sent to the court pointed out that he was appointed on October 17th, prior to the date of the alleged offences on June 6.
Mr Kelly is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm allegedly found on his premises during the search.
Judge Timothy Lucey granted a request from a lawyer for the Cullens seeking disclosure of details of documents seized during the search including passports, payslips and national identity cards.
He adjourned the Lapellos and Strings cases to April 7th and the La Petite and Playmates cases to April 21st.