Five men have appeared before the District Court in Loughrea charged with the theft of copper wire worth €40,000.
The men, Terence O'Reilly, William Reilly, Patrick Connors, Michael McCarthy and Patrick McCarthy, all with addresses in Tallaght, were charged with stealing the cable from the power plant at Derryfrench, Tynagh early yesterday morning.
Four other men and two youths who were detained earlier have been released without charge.
It is understood the group had been under surveillance since Thursday.
