‘We will bear down on RIRA’

He made the comments at Westminster prior to the Real IRA bomb blast in the Santander bank in Londonderry city centre signalling the Government’s determination to deal with violent republicanism.

“The threat level in Northern Ireland remains at severe. Despite the overwhelming community rejection of their murderous strategy following the despicable murder of Ronan Kerr last month, the terrorist groups continue to pose an indiscriminate threat to the lives of police officers and the general public, who just want to go about their lives without fear, disruption or intimidation,” Mr Paterson told the House of Commons.

Asked if everything possible was being done to make sure Constable Kerr’s killers are apprehended as quickly as possible he replied that the Chief Constable is currently utilising a £50m additional financial package to face down the dissidents.

“We take the threat extremely seriously. We do not underestimate it.

“As I said earlier, we endorsed an extra £50 million package last year for the PSNI and we have negotiated an exceptional four-year plan of £200 million over the coming years,” he said.

“I know that Matt Baggott, the Chief Constable, to whom I spoke this morning, is already putting those funds to very good use. We are determined to bear down on that small number of wholly unrepresentative, dangerous people,” he added.

Mr Paterson also said the Government must make sure that at every level it works to stem the flow of fresh arms into Northern Ireland.

“We now have unprecedented co-operation.

“That is the case not only between the Westminster Government and the Northern Ireland Executive—I pay tribute to all those who have recently been elected to the Executive, and I am delighted that David Ford, whom I spoke to this morning, has been re-elected—but there is also exceptional co-operation with the Garda. I discussed this matter with the Home Secretary yesterday as well, so we are clearly working at all levels,” said Mr Paterson..

Last week the Sentinel revealed the Independent Inspector of the UK Border Agency (UKBA) John Vine’s misgivings over the vulnerability of the Northern Ireland border and the threat from terrorists and smugglers.

A new report examining control border control found that whilst flights from Belfast and Londonderry had historically been designated as low risk one flight had been designated as a weapons risk and that UKBA needed to refresh its risk assessments.