THERE is no conflict "within or between members of the Government" about the requirements to be fulfilled by Sinn Fein for entry to the Northern talks, the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has stated.
He indicated that he agreed with the Tanaiste that "the barrier has neither been raised nor lowered".
For the second day in a row the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, asked Mr Bruton to clarify the ground rules governing Sinn Fein's entry to the all party talks. Conflicting statements had been made by Mr Bruton and Mr Spring the previous day in the Dail and Seanad, he said, "on how high the fence will be for those wishing to re enter talks if there is a ceasefire".
The Taoiseach said the conditions for entry to the talks were set out in the ground rules paper.
"I simply said that, in accordance with the precise wording of the ground rules paper, the commitment to exclusively peaceful methods had to be established and shown and that there had to be a ceasefire", he continued. "There has been no change in those requirements, which were written out carefully in the ground rules paper in April this year. They remain the sole conditions which have to be complied with. As the Tanaiste and I said yesterday, the barrier has neither been raised nor lowered."
The controversy over whether a permanent IRA ceasefire and adherence to the Mitchell principles would be sufficient to enable Sinn Fein to enter the all party talks arose on Wednesday when the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste appeared to have conflicting views.
At Question Time in the Dail, Mr Bruton resisted Fianna Fail pressure, on at least three occasions, to state unequivocally that a ceasefire coupled with acceptance of the Mitchell principles would guarantee Sinn Fein a place at the talks.
In the Seanad a short time later, Mr Spring said that while Sinn Fein's entry to negotiations still depended on an unequivocal restoration of the ceasefire, once inside its representatives would be subject to the same disciplines as all other participants. They would have to make clear their absolute commitment to the Mitchell principles, including the renunciation of the use of force, or threats of force, to influence the course or outcome of all party negotiations.
In the Downing Street Declaration and the February communique, the two governments set out the minimum threshold, he said, adding that "we should certainly not lower it, and neither should we raise it to new and unrealistic heights."
