Dissident Republicans, Real Ira Dublin, The IRA, weapons find, Dublin arrests, provisional IRA weapons

Dissident Republicans, Real Ira Dublin, The IRA, weapons find, Dublin arrests, provisional IRA weapons

Explosives, firearms and ammunition discovered in Dublin last week including provisional IRA weapons should have been decommissioned according to the gardaí

15kg of Semtex explosive along with handguns, shotguns, a sub-machine gun, electronic devices and over 1,300 rounds of ammunition were found on land at the Old Airport Road, Cloghran in Co Dublin.

It is the largest dissident republican arms dump the gardaí have ever found.

Gardaí say not only does the seizure represent a major blow to the activities of dissident republicans, there is no doubt it has also saved lives.

It may be reminiscent of a different time but this is the largest seizure of weapons and explosives in more than a decade from the largest dissident republican arms dump the gardai have ever found 16kg of semtex explosive, electric igniters, detonator cord, fireworks and pipe bombs.

Replica and real guns including an UZI 9mm sub machine gun, revolvers, double barrel shotguns, pistols, an air rifle, a tazer, a silencer and around 100,300 rounds of ammunition.

Superintendent David Taylor said the seizure is a major blow to the activities of dissident republicans.

He said the only function of the guns and bombs is he said to kill and maim and there is no doubt that the seizure has saved lives Superintendent Taylor said the pipe bombs here have a bigger barrel than is usually found.

The semtex is old and very different from what is currently available which is more rigorously controlled and harder to acquire.

The bomb that killed PSNI constable Ronan Kerr two years ago contained around 100g of semtex - the amount seized here could make up to 150 of those bombs.

The range of electronic devices recovered also includes mobile phone blockers

Gardaí say this is a highly significant seizure.

The seizure is significant because it is the largest ever dissident republican arms and explosives find.

It is also significant as it appears to indicate that not all of the Provisional IRA's guns and bombs have been decommissioned.

Substantial quantities have ended up in the hands of dissident groups.