THE Taoiseach said it was "probable" that the evidence being compiled by the Government on Bloody Sunday would warrant a further full inquiry.

However, Mr Bruton added that if another, more expeditious, way could be found of establishing the truth once and for all, and to the satisfaction of all, it would not be ruled out.

He said that in his contact with the British Prime Minister be had impressed upon him that it was most important that there be an open approach on the part of the British government to the examination of any new evidence it received.

"I am satisfied that there will be, on the basis of what the Prime Minister said to me, an open and un-prejudged approach to the examination of the evidence which we are assembling at this point."

He said one possibility of dealing with the matter would be through a judicial review of the findings of the Widgery tribunal. Yet another would be the British authorities stating unequivocally that they accepted the new evidence without a further inquiry.

Mr Bruton said the first priority of the Government, and the relatives of the victims, was that the full truth about what happened should be established once, and for all and to the satisfaction of all. "That certainly, it would appear, was not done in the case of the Widgery inquiry."

He was replying to the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, who renewed his call for a full judicial inquiry. He said the new evidence, as presented, showed the planned and premeditated nature of the murders. There was also the suppression, doctoring and ignoring of data.

Dr Jim McDaid (FF, Donegal North East) accused the Government of taking "a softly-softly approach, do not disturb the Brits at any cost ..." An inquiry was demanded from people along the Border to clear the names of those, killed, he added.

Mr Bruton said he intended following the best course to obtain a result. "I do not believe that indicating that I have decided on the evidence before examining it is the best approach."

The PD leader, Ms Mary Harney, noted that the Taoiseach bad said it was the Government's view that an unequivocal restoration of the IRA ceasefire would mean Sinn Fein could be at the multi-a party talks on June 3rd. In the light of his conversation with the British Prime Minister on March 13th, would the Taoiseach say that was the position of the British government?

Mr Bruton said that if there was an unequivocal, unconditional and immediate IRA ceasefire there was no reason why Sinn Fein should not be at the talks on June 3rd. He had taken the same view relating to the Christmas break when he met the British Prime Minister in December of last year.

As he had told the House on that occasion, the British government did not agree with the precise mention of a date. It wanted to emphasise, rather, that the requirements of the ground rules were complied with. Once they were complied with, then Sinn Fein could be in the talks. ,