A 25-year-old law student has appeared in court charged over a bomb which was discovered in a car in the Republic of Ireland.

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, from Abbeylands Park in Clane, County Kildare, was charged with the possession of explosives.

It was alleged she was driving the car which was intercepted by gardaí (Irish police) near Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, on Wednesday.

A defence solicitor told the court his client had been asked to take a bag to Northern Ireland and had not been aware what was in it.

Earlier on Friday, gardaí (Irish police) told reporters their interception was part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity.

The accused, who was arrested on Wednesday, was brought before a special sitting of Trim District Court in County Meath on Friday evening.

A member of the Garda Special Detective Unit told the court the car she was driving was stopped by officers on N2 at Aclint, south of Carrickmacross.