New Chief Constable Simon Byrne and Secretary of State Julian Smith visited Fermanagh in secret yesterday to discuss Monday’s bomb attack at Wattlebridge near Newtownbutler.
Unusually neither the Police Service of Northern Ireland nor the Northern Ireland Office briefed local media or invited journalists to report on the visit.
The PSNI did not offer journalists the opportunity to ask Mr. Byrne questions about the suspected New IRA attack, the fears of residents here about a return to violence or even the issues facing policing the Border post Brexit, the fact it is almost 1,000 days without a functioning government or the ever increasing number of alleged sex abuse (50 and rising) victims coming forward.
Instead, Mr. Byrne tweeted a photograph of himself with Mr. Smith at Enniskillen Police Station after he had left Fermanagh.
“Delighted to welcome Secretary of State Julian Smith MP to Enniskillen this afternoon to discuss recent events in County Fermanagh and the courage and commitment of our officers and staff,” he tweeted.
Mr. Smith also tweeted after leaving the county, writing; “I met Simon Byrne in Enniskillen to discuss pressures facing police in absence of a Stormont and the despicable bombing incident at Wattlebridge on Monday.
“Vital we get Stormont up and running to support hard-working officers who do so much to protect NI citizens.”
It’s understood Mr. Byrne will make himself available for sit down interviews with media organisations in Belfast today, days after the PSNI held a press conference on the Fermanagh bomb in Belfast.
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