The disclosure of details of a confidential Government document describing the Ulster Unionist Party's approach to the North's political impasse as "internally dysfunctional" has caused a political storm ahead of talks today in Belfast.
The document, disclosure of which has caused consternation within the Government, is believed to question whether the UUP leadership would respond positively to any substantial gesture by the IRA designed to break the deadlock.
Both governments are working towards a deal to have the North's political institutions restored in advance of Assembly elections in the North.
The document, prepared for the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and his officials in advance of yesterday's meeting of the British/Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Farmleigh in Dublin, questions whether the UUP is prepared to "sell" any new deal in advance of elections.
Instead, it is understood to suggest that the UUP may be so fixated on the impending contest with the DUP for supremacy within the unionist community that it is not willing to strike a deal.
While this analysis is widely shared among talks participants and observers, its appearance in a Government document is deeply embarrassing for the Coalition.
Details of the document were broadcast last night on UTV and RTÉ News.
Government sources said last night that the document had been left inadvertently in an area used by reporters at yesterday's Farmleigh meeting involving Mr Cowen and the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, and the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy.
The paper is believed to be a briefing document prepared in advance of important meetings by senior Government officials.
Such papers are given to the ministers involved and a handful of senior officials.
A UTV reporter said last night the document had been acquired by the station at Farmleigh.
The document says that the Provisional IRA is still active but suggests this activity - recruitment, training and intelligence-gathering - is designed for defensive reasons only.
It indicates a Government belief that the republican movement's leadership is fully committed to the peace process, but that it still faces difficulties in ensuring there is not a "drift" among its traditional support towards dissident groups.
It also reports no significant increase in IRA activity, and suggests the republican leadership is willing to push its membership as far as it will go towards making the "acts of completion" demanded by the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, some months ago.
In expressing concern over the fracturing of the IRA, the paper warns about the possible "leaching away of Provisionals to dissidents if the leadership were to pursue a policy of winding down of the IRA".
It further states the belief that the "war is over for the current generation", but a new generation is not far behind which does not remember war.
The paper also refers to possible Sinn Féin preparations for joining the North's Policing Board which runs the PSNI and to the possible religious breakdown statistics contained in the census which is being made available today.
Last night the Government refused to comment on the disclosure of the document amid deep embarrassment over its apparently inadvertent release.
While the political analysis in it is widely shared, there will be concern that its publication will enrage Ulster Unionists and distract from efforts to restore the political institutions in spring.
Ulster Unionist MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson last night challenged the Government to "come clean" on its position on IRA disbandment in the wake of the disclosure of details of the document.
He said: "According to these reports, this document from the Irish Government proved that the IRA are continuing to engage in terrorist activity."