A Garda (police) search is continuing in Co. Louth near the Northern Ireland border following the discovery of a significant cache of arms and explosive material.

The haul, which includes assault rifles, mortars, explosive material and bomb components, was made on lands near Jenkinstown on Monday afternoon.

The Irish Army bomb disposal team was called in to examine suspected bomb parts.

The discovery was made close to the Lordship Credit Union, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who lived locally, was shot dead by a hold-up gang in January 2013.

Gardai said the cache was found as part of an ongoing investigation into the activities of dissident Republicans.

They said the area has been sealed off and searches will continue for the next few days. It is the third major dissident arms find in the past seven months.

The firearms included a number of AK47 assault rifles, revolvers, and what appeared to be a machine gun, as well as mortars, improvised explosive material, detonators and other bomb components and several hundred rounds of assorted ammunition.

The search followed weeks of surveillance and intelligence-gathering on suspected members of the Real IRA.

Anti-terrorist officers said that further discoveries may be made as the search is extended locally. No arrests have been made in connection with the finds.