The Taoiseach expects no further records to be forthcoming from the British authorities on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. "I do not see us getting any records regardless of what we do," Mr Ahern told the Dáil.
He was responding to questions about whether further information would be forthcoming from London if either a sworn public inquiry was undertaken or if an inquiry with an international dimension was established.
The Taoiseach stressed: "I do not think that the British Prime Minister is knowingly withholding information or files which he believes we need."
But he said that "there is also the question of the possible involvement of MI5 and MI6 and other security elements and whether their involvement was official. People must reach their own conclusions about this."
He said the British government "has given its views and has co-operated with us in this matter, passing on files for our consideration. Mr Justice Barron must answer the question of whether there were rogue elements in these security services."
The British government, from Prime Minister Blair down, had been committed to reaching closure in the inquiry as fully as possible.
"Those involved have genuinely tried to be co-operative. A number of secretaries of state have tried to be co-operative," he said, adding that "records from MI5 and MI6 do not seem to be available as it has not been possible to get them".
Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said it was an "extraordinary statement that all relevant documentation was passed on to Mr Justice Barron, particularly given that we were advised that 68,000 files of possible relevance were in the hands of the Northern Ireland Office". Mr Justice Barron received only a 10-page document followed by a "further missive" and no original documentation, said Mr Ó Caoláin.
The Sinn Féin deputy also questioned the level of effort involved in trying to locate the missing Department of Justice files linked to the bombing, and said that if files relevant to any other tribunal or investigative process in the State were missing there would be a "national scandal".
Labour leader Mr Pat Rabbitte said it was extraordinary that files had gone missing from the Department of Justice "given that this was the greatest act of mass murder in the history of the State".
It was also extraordinary that "the administration can only put its hands up and say that the files are missing and the Taoiseach said he cannot say or do anything further".
Mr Ahern said that "a large number of files had vanished" and investigations were carried out by the Garda Commissioner at the time.
Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny said that even a sworn public inquiry would not provide the truth about the bombings unless the British Prime Minister "guarantees that all witnesses of which his government is aware are compelled to attend and all evidence in its possession is made available".
