Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O Connell were allegedly trapped in their car by water charge protestors while trying to leave a graduation ceremony in Jobstown in Dublin in November 2014.
18 people have been sent forward for trial in connection with the incident. 16 of them, including Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy and two of the party’s local councillors, are accused of false imprisonment – a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The DPP wants to split the protesters into four groups and hold separate trials. The protestors want to know the reasons for doing so, and the DPP was due to write to them before the end of last month.
Their cases are due back before Dublin District Court this morning.
A block of four weeks next April have already been set aside for the trials.
