Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said unionist parties criticising the bailing of a trainee solicitor charged in relation to a bomb intercepted in a car near the Irish border should “respect the independence of our judicial system”.

The DUP, UUP and TUV have criticised the decision made by a judge in Ireland to grant bail to Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, of Abbeylands Park, Clane, Co Kildare, who was charged with possession of explosives at a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath last week.

At that hearing, her defence solicitor said she had been asked to take a bag to the north and had not been aware what was in it, adding that she had been “manipulated”.

The car was stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, last Wednesday.

During a search of the vehicle, a bag was discovered in the rear seat that contained an amount of Semtex military grade explosive and a detonator.

In court on Friday, Perrie Sullivan was granted bail with a host of conditions, which included a 15,000-euro independent surety, that she surrendered her passport, stays at an address approved by gardaí with a curfew of 9pm to 7am, has a mobile phone available 24 hours a day and signs in each day to Naas Garda Station.

Gardaí also requested another condition, that she not have any contact with anyone in Saoradh or the New IRA.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson announced that he had written to the Justice Minister in relation to the case, saying in a statement on social media: “The people of Northern Ireland have lived through the devastating consequences of terrorism.

“We know only too well the destruction that explosive devices can cause.

“Decisions of this nature inevitably undermine public confidence and leave many people asking whether sufficient weight is being given to the seriousness of these offences.”

UUP leader Jon Burrows also expressed his intention to write to the Justice Minister saying: “Public confidence in the justice system depends not only on justice being done but on it being seen to be done.

“Decisions in cases involving alleged terrorist offences must reassure the public that the threat is being treated with the utmost seriousness.”

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said the decision to grant bail “in a case involving allegations of this gravity is profoundly concerning and sends entirely the wrong message”.

“Those of us living in Northern Ireland know only too well what Semtex in the hands of Republican terrorists can mean,” he said.

“It is therefore entirely reasonable to ask how the interests of public safety are served by granting bail to someone accused of possessing such material.”

Asked about the bail decision on Wednesday, the Taoiseach paid tribute to the gardaí and said those criticising the active case should “respect the independence” of Ireland’s legal system.

Speaking to reporters in Dublin Martin said: “In the first instance I would pay tribute to the Gardaí and they made timely intervention in respect of stopping and obviously preventing perhaps a significant attack.

“Gardaí have done food work here, there’s a case now that we have to await the outcome of that.

“We should respect the independence of the judiciary.

“We do, both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic, so I think those parties should also respect the independence of our judicial system and the local judicial system.”