A 55-year-old man has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a handgun was seized in Dublin at the weekend.

It happened on Saturday afternoon when Gardaí stopped and searched two vehicles in Harmonstown on the north side of the city.

They stopped the vehicles on Lein Park as part of an intelligence-led operation.

They seized a semi-automatic handgun and arrested three men in their 20s, 40s and 50s.

This afternoon, 55-year-old Edward McDonnell with an address in New Ross, County Wexford appeared in court charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm.

Dressed in blue jeans and a grey sweatshirt, the court heard that Mr McDonnell made no reply when he was charged at Raheny Garda Station yesterday evening.

The court was told Mr McDonnell is very unwell and is in receipt of daily medication, but he didn’t get it yet today.

He was taken back to Raheny Garda station to be seen by a doctor.

There was no application for bail in court today.

Mr McDonnell was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday.

The two other arrested men were released without charge.

Reporting from Kim Buckley at the Dublin District Court.