"I strongly condemn the cowardly actions of those responsible for this bomb attack, which could have had devastating consequences.

"There is never any justification to use violence to achieve political aims. The people of Ireland, North and South, had their say on this issue when they voted overwhelmingly and emphatically for the Good Friday Agreement.

"It is a considerable relief that no PSNI officers were seriously injured or killed when this bomb went off. We should be in no doubt that this device was intended to inflict maximum harm. I encourage anyone who has information on this incident to provide it to the PSNI, so that those responsible can be brought to justice and future attacks prevented."