Keaveney calls for future deployment of British army after bomb alerts

Fianna Fil senator Cecilia Keaveney made the call for cross-border co-operation between British and Irish army bomb disposal units following separate alerts in Letterkenny and Bridgend at the weekend.

A controlled explosion on a device discovered outside a head shop on Letterkenny's Pearse Road in the early hours of Monday morning came just hours after a major car bomb alert in the border village of Bridgend.

Senator Keaveney condemned those responsible and said consideration needed to be given to cross-border co-operation in future.

She said: "A number of months ago I called for the reinstatement of the bomb squad facility in Finner Camp. I was told that the level of activity was lower in our area than in other places and so Athlone was a more central base for them.

"We want to see an end to dissident activity so that we no longer need to talk about bomb squads. But, in the meantime, we need to have a response that can enable devices to be dealt with in as speedy a manner as possible. Relying on Athlone is not a very quick process when we look at that geography."

Speaking after the Bridgend alert Sinn Fin councillor Pdraig MacLochlainn said: "I condemn in the strongest terms the mindless actions carried out by people with no regard for the citizens of Derry and Inishowen.

"The serious disruption caused by this rag-tag of individuals calling themselves republicans has succeeded only in inconveniencing local families and businesses in Bridgend. No blow for Irish freedom was achieved tonight."