A suggestion by the Fine Gael leader that prisoner releases be linked to arms decommissioning as part of the Belfast Agreement was rejected by Mr Ahern.

Mr John Bruton urged the Taoiseach to convey to the House of Commons, which was debating the issue yesterday, the view that such a link should be made. "It is unhelpful that there is no such linkage in the Belfast Agreement." The view should be conveyed that the parties in the Dail were at times extremely sceptical about the intentions of the republican movement, said Mr Bruton.

The Taoiseach said it was very clear in the agreement that there was no linkage between prisoner releases and decommissioning. "To cease releasing prisoners at this stage, based on decommissioning, would be breaking entirely the spirit and the letter of the agreement."

Mr Ahern said it had been the Government's consistent view that the release of prisoners should continue within the terms of the agreement.