Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has criticised the decision to grant bail to a woman charged in connection with the alleged transport of explosives intended for Northern Ireland, describing it as "deeply concerning". He said he will write to Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan seeking clarification on the Republic's approach to tackling republican terrorism.

Mr Burrows said: "The decision to grant bail in this case is, in my view, extremely difficult to understand given the seriousness of the charges.

"The defendant is alleged to have been in possession of Semtex explosive and a timer power unit which were intended, if the prosecution case is proven, to facilitate an act of terrorism capable of causing catastrophic loss of life.

"An Garda Síochána opposed bail, yet it was granted. Public confidence in the justice system depends not only on justice being done but on it being seen to be done. Decisions in cases involving alleged terrorist offences must reassure the public that the threat is being treated with the utmost seriousness. The suggestion that the defendant's parents can keep a 'tight rein' on her is absurd; she is 25, not 12." He confirmed he will write to the Minister to express concern about the decision and to seek assurances on how cases involving alleged terrorist offences are being handled.

Mr Burrows also urged clarity on the source of the suspected Semtex seized during the investigation.

"I will also be seeking to establish whether the suspected Semtex is recently manufactured or whether it may originate from Provisional IRA stocks that were never decommissioned.

"If that were found to be the case, it would once again raise serious questions about the extent of decommissioning and reinforce concerns about the continued availability of terrorist matériel decades after the Belfast Agreement."

He said the case underlines that the threat from terrorism has not gone away.

"The overwhelming majority of people on these islands support peace and democracy, but there remain a small number of violent extremists who continue to believe that murder can be justified for political ends.

"The security forces deserve enormous credit for disrupting alleged terrorist activity and protecting the public. We must ensure that every part of the justice system sends a clear message that terrorism will be met with the full force of the law."