Allegations that the Government made a deal with the Real IRA have been dismissed as fantasy by the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell TD.
He said there was no foundation for claims that a government minister made a deal with the group behind the Omagh bombing in return for a ceasefire.
The charges originated from a suspended detective sergeant in the Republic's Garda Siochana police, in a Channel Four News programme.
Mr McDowell said: "I believe there is absolutely no foundation in that whatsoever.
"I believe that it's a fantasy and I believe that if there were any foundation in it, I think that some of the people who are already serving jail sentences at this stage might have mentioned it at some point."
He advised the public to wait for the results of an inquiry into the bombing, parts of which he said would make public in the future.
The allegation of a deal was made in briefing document from Mr White that told of the claimed arrangement "with a government minister," declaring that "in return for calling a ceasefire, no RIRA members would be harassed or receive undue Garda attention."
The programme said they had seen documents showing that charges against people arrested after Omagh were "dropped on the orders of the state, without explanations."
The deal was also claimed to have been confirmed by Mr White's informant in a covert tape recording made in a car.
Meanwhile, the head of Ireland's police force, Pat Byrne, said the Garda Siochana had no information which could have prevented the Omagh bomb, as also alleged in the programme.
Garda Commissioner Byrne said in Dublin that the force behaved in a very professional way.
He said: "I am absolutely convinced that we had absolutely no information which could at that time have prevented that outrage happening."
The Garda Siochana last night rejected the TV allegations that they had information prior to the Omagh massacre as "totally unfounded."
The Channel Four report followed one on the same news programme the previous night alleging that the police in Northern Ireland received four warnings of terrorist attacks before the Omagh bomb.
PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde tonight said he had not seen the programme but had been told of its contents.
He said: "Television programmes aside my focus is on getting a result for victims of the Omagh bomb and that's what we're focusing on doing."He said an effective team had been set up to investigate the bombing and that he was impressed by what they were doing.
Only one person has been charged and convicted in connection with the bombing, despite widespread police investigations throughout Ireland. PA