Statement by TUV East Belfast Assembly candidate Andrew Girvin:
“This morning’s bomb attack on a prison officer in East Belfast deserves to be condemned and those responsible repudiated.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the officer and his family at what must be a distressing time for all concerned.
“It is despicable that anyone would target a prison officer in this way. Others could have been injured or worse and it is worth noting that the attack has disrupted the life of a local primary school and has caused people to be evacuated from their homes.
“This attack is part of the ongoing campaign by Republicans to reassert control inside the prison walls. It is important that the powers that be do not bow to this sort of pressure.
“While we will rightly here condemnation from across the political spectrum today it is worth recalling that just a few months ago a Government report told us that there is some cross over between the Provisional IRA and so-called dissident groups. We should also keep in mind that a party of government – Sinn Fein/IRA – continues to be overseen by the Army Council of an illegal terrorist organisation which retains weapons.
“Not only should people across Northern Ireland repudiate terrorism but we should recognise that it should have no place in the government of our Province.”