Taoiseach urges respect for judiciary after trainee solicitor granted bail in explosives case

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, of Abbeylands Park, Clane, Co Kildare, was charged with possession of explosives after gardaí stopped a car on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, last Wednesday.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found a bag on the rear seat containing Semtex and a detonator.

At a special sitting of Trim District Court on Friday, Ms Perrie Sullivan was granted bail subject to a number of conditions, including a €15,000 independent surety, surrendering her passport, residing at a garda-approved address, observing a nightly curfew, remaining available by mobile phone at all times and signing on daily at Naas Garda Station. She was also ordered not to have contact with anyone in Saoradh or the New IRA.

Her solicitor told the court she had been asked to take a bag to Northern Ireland and had been unaware of its contents, adding that she had been “manipulated”.

The DUP, UUP and TUV criticised the decision. DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he had written to justice minister Jim O’Callaghan, arguing that the decision undermined public confidence in the justice system. UUP leader Jon Burrows also said he would write to the minister, saying cases involving alleged terrorist offences must reassure the public that the threat is being treated with the utmost seriousness.

Asked about the criticism, Mr Martin praised the actions of gardaí and urged politicians to respect the judicial process.

“In the first instance, I would pay tribute to the gardaí, and they made timely intervention in respect of stopping and obviously preventing perhaps a significant attack.

“There’s a case now that we have to await the outcome of that. We should respect the independence of the judiciary. We do, both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic, so I think those parties should also respect the independence of our judicial system.”