The Northern Secretary, Dr Mowlam admitted in an ITN interview last night her visit to loyalist prisoners in the Maze Prison had been a risk. She said officials had "gulped" when she said she wanted to go but it had not stopped her.
The move ended successfully when loyalist prisoners reinstated their backing for the peace talks.
"I checked with my permanent secretary, I checked with the head of the prisons, checked with my private secretary - they gulped, heavily - but nobody said no, so I went ahead." It had been a risk "with no safety net".
But Dr Mowlam made it clear she would not be at the beck and call of prisoners.
"You can't do it too often, then people will think I'm a risk-taker and make mistakes. You have to judge it."
Dr Mowlam made the comments during a special News At Ten interview. Speaking on her life after a brain tumour was diagnosed, she said: "I kept working because it gives you something to get out of bed for in the morning and keep going."