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Isobella Perrie Sullivan leaving after she appeared before special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath Alamy Stock Photo
Monaghan
Taoiseach says DUP should ‘respect independence of judiciary’ after criticism of bomb bail decision
The DUP, UUP and TUV have criticised the decision to grant bail to a woman charged in relation to a bomb intercepted near the border.
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said unionist parties criticising the bailing of a trainee solicitor charged in relation to a bomb intercepted in a car near the border should “respect the independence of our judicial system”.
The DUP, UUP and TUV have criticised the decision made by a judge to grant bail to Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25) of Abbeylands Park, Clane, Co Kildare, who was charged with possession of explosives at a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath last week.
At that hearing, her defence solicitor said she had been asked to take a bag to the north and had not been aware what was in it, adding that she had been “manipulated”.
The car was stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, last Wednesday.
During a search of the vehicle, a bag was discovered in the rear seat that contained an amount of Semtex military grade explosive and a detonator.
In court on Friday, Perrie Sullivan was granted bail with a host of conditions, which included a €15,000 independent surety, that she surrendered her passport, stays at an address approved by gardaí with a curfew of 9pm to 7am, has a mobile phone available 24 hours a day and signs in each day to Naas garda station.
Gardaí also requested another condition, that she not have any contact with anyone in Saoradh or the New IRA.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson announced that he had written to Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan in relation to the case, saying in a statement on social media: “Decisions of this nature inevitably undermine public confidence and leave many people asking whether sufficient weight is being given to the seriousness of these offences.”
Elsewhere, DUP MLA and deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly said it was “outrageous that this woman has been given bail” and that the “Irish judge that made the decision was wrong”.
“The judiciary is independent, but the role they play has major impacts,” said Little-Pengelly.
“They are not beyond legitimate concerns and criticisms being raised.”
UUP leader Jon Burrows also expressed his intention to write to the Justice Minister saying: “Public confidence in the justice system depends not only on justice being done but on it being seen to be done.”
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston meanwhile said the decision to grant bail “in a case involving allegations of this gravity is profoundly concerning and sends entirely the wrong message”.
“It is entirely reasonable to ask how the interests of public safety are served by granting bail to someone accused of possessing such material,” he added.
Asked about the bail decision this morning, Martin paid tribute to the gardaí and said those criticising the active case should “respect the independence” of Ireland’s legal system.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Martin said: “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.
“Gardaí have done good work here, 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 and the local judicial system.”
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