Minister denies delay over suspect device

There was no delay in telling gardaí about new information about a suspect terrorist device planted in the Mansion House over 25 years ago, the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell insisted today.

Mr McDowell said his department first received the information 48 hours ago but an Army team only began a search of the Lord Mayor of Dublin’s official residence this morning.

Members of the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) today claimed in a newspaper interview that a bomb was concealed in a fire extinguisher above the platform at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis conference at the venue in 1981.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Vincent Jackson, his wife and the house steward were evacuated last night from one of the capital’s best known buildings.

Gardaí erected a police cordon around the building at 9am today and a specialist Army search team entered.

Mr McDowell today admitted he first learned of the information 48 hours ago but he passed it on immediately to the Garda.

“It was taken seriously immediately and steps were taken to find out exactly what the information amounted to.

“Specific information was then handed by me to the Garda Siochana and they were in a position to act on foot of it.

“There has been no delay, no delay in acting on foot of this information.

“I handed it over immediately to An Garda Siochana after receiving it.”

A police cordon was erected around the Mansion House at 9am this morning and a specialist team of nine Army officers entered and began a detailed search with Garda officers.

A neighbouring restaurant, Fire, was evacuated but traffic was not disrupted on the busy Dawson Street where the building is located.

Extensive renovations were carried out in the Mansion House five years ago and the device may have been removed.

A Garda spokesperson said today: “The danger is not imminent. The operation is proceeding on an hour-by-hour basis.”

The Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was on standby in a nearby barracks.

A Defence Forces spokesman added: “Were any device found, it would be treated as live and viable, and a disposal situation would be activated.”

Sinn Féin’s party conference is 1981 came after the Hunger Strike campaign and is remembered for Danny Morrison’s ’Armalite and ballot box’ speech.

The Mansion House is a popular venue for public events and drew several current and former Government members to Fianna Fail’s 80th birthday celebrations in May.