Conlon condemns Newtownhamilton security threat

Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD and Vice Chair of the British Irish Interparliamentary Assembly Margaret Conlon has condemned the security threat at Newtownhamilton in Co Armagh this morning.

She also welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern TD, that he intends to hold a security summit with the newly appointed Northern Ireland Minister for Justice David Forde as soon as possible to discuss the threat from dissident republicans.

“The incident in Newtownhamilton early this morning and the activities from dissident republicans in recent weeks such as the Holywood explosion, are beyond contempt. It is sickening to see this kind of threat revisit Northern Ireland and the Border counties. We do not want a return to this kind of threat. These people have no support and no mandate,” she said.

“I’m sure that the people who were evacuated from their homes in Newtownhamilton do not want it, nor do the people who were delayed on people driving on the road from Castleblayney who were delayed.”

“This week marked another day in the history of Northern Ireland with the appointment of the first Minister for Justice in Northern Ireland in almost 40 years. This is what people want; control over their own security and justice issues. The role was taken away because of the dissident threat all those years ago but that will not be allowed to happen again. The peace process is solid and the minority of people involved in these cowardly acts will not be allowed to win.”

“I welcome the swift confirmation from the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern TD yesterday that he intends to meet with the new Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Forde as soon as possible to discuss these issues,” concluded Margaret Conlon TD.