THE Minister for Justice has agreed with the Taoiseach's assessment of the peace process in the North. Mr Bruton gave an optimistic analysis during his visit to Washington last week.
Mrs Owen said on RTE's Questions and Answers last night: "I think John Bruton did not heighten the wire as much as people are saying he did."
However, the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, criticised Mr Bruton, saying it was not a good idea for him to "talk it up" in Washington.
Mrs Owen pointed out that the Taoiseach "argued from the logic of what Sinn Fein and others are saying, that there must be peace for the process to move forward, that therefore if you want peace there must be a ceasefire".
She said he also argued "on the other side, that there was reason to say we now have talks. We did not have talks up until June 10th and we now have a forum at which progress can be made."
She described Mr Bruton's visit to Washington as "extremely successful" adding that he "made it clear that there was a requirement to move the Belfast talks process forward . Mr Ahern said: "I'm afraid the history of the Republican movement [shows that it] does not respond to being jumped into things. If there is information out there, I'm not aware of it."
Mrs Owen explained that the Taoiseach was "heartened to some degree" that people in Sinn Fein, who have accepted that violence is not the way to go forward, are now trying to convince others within that movement and in the IRA."
She said she was very disturbed to hear a former Taoiseach imply yesterday that somehow a ceasefire was not needed for Sinn Fein to be at the table.
"I trust that Bertie Ahern does not agree with that," she said.
Mr Ahern said: "I have continually stated that as long as there is not a ceasefire, that it is a difficultly for the Government. But I support, and I have always advocated and did so directly with the Government, ... that they should use their senior officials to deal and to involve themselves in dialogue.
"I think they (Sinn Fein) have a reasoned argument," he said. "Why should they go back to the negotiating table if on Day One once again there are pre conditions?"
"I believe that we should let them at it and let others involved in it too, if there are representatives of the Government at these talks," he added.
He urged the British government to listen to Sinn Fein.