  We study $QED_3$ with magnetic-like defects using the Julia-Toulouse
condensation mechanism (JTM). By a careful treatment of the symmetries we
suggest a geometrical interpretation for distinct debatable issues in the
MCS-monopole system: (i) the induction of the non-conserved electric current
together with the Chern-Simons term (CS), (ii) the deconfinement transition
and, (iii) the computation of the fermionic determinant in the presence of
Dirac string singularities. The JTM leads to proper interpretation of the
non-conserved current as originating from Dirac brane symmetry breaking. The
mechanism behind this symmetry breaking is clarified. The physical origin of
the deconfinement transition becomes evident in the low energy effective theory
induced by the JTM. The proper procedure to compute the fermionic determinant
in the presence of Dirac branes will be presented. A byproduct of this approach
is the possible appearance of statistical transmutation and the clarification
for the different quantization rules for the topological mass.
