Jonathan Lennon, 35, of Clonee, Dublin 15, has been charged with four counts of contravening the Official Secrets Act 1963 in respect of criminal proceedings over the death of a dissident republican.

Peter Butterly was shot dead on March 6, 2013, outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath.

Mr Lennon is accused of passing on official information about the prosecution to someone else in Dublin.

Judge Gerard Jones ruled previously at Blanchardstown District Court that “very sensitive” evidence for the prosecution must not be given to Mr Lennon directly and that he can only look at it in his lawyer’s office.

Pádraig Langsch, defending, asked the judge yesterday to delay setting a trial date, saying the defence had received additional disclosure consisting of 380 pages.

The court was also told a further 12,000 pages would be served by the DPP, including extracts of Mr Lennon’s text messages.

Three days in May were set aside by Judge Jones for the case to be heard at the Criminal Courts of Justice.