THE Government wanted to see Sinn Fein's commitment to the Mitchell principles "real in practice", the Taoiseach said.

Mr Bruton added that the lines of communication to Sinn Fein remained open because the party had indicated on May 20th it was willing to make its commitment to the six Mitchell principles absolute. Those principles involved directly being able to give an affirmative answer to the questions the Government put to Sinn Fein.

The Taoiseach was responding to the PD leader, Ms Mary Harney, who said that the only people who had closed the door on the peace process were those making bombs and mortars, who murdered a member of the Garda, and planted bombs in Manchester.

She urged the Taoiseach to call on Sinn Fein to use its "enormous influence" to ensure that the IRA, which was its paramilitary wing, restored the ceasefire.