The Government would like to resume negotiations on the Garda pay dispute, the Taoiseach said.

"We believe they were the basis for making progress. We believe that in any industrial dispute the only way to resolve it is for people to negotiate," Mr Ahern added.

There were areas "where there can be compromise and areas where there can be no compromise". The Government could not breach the public service pay agreement because it would open up claims from the whole public service that would ruin consensus and any prospect of agreement.

But there were other avenues, which the Minister had outlined to gardai. "I would urge gardai to go back to the negotiating table where we can try and resolve this dispute."

Mr Ahern said the Government would be concerned about any escalation of the dispute. The Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner would discuss any operational decisions resulting from it. "I hope we will not get to a stage of disruption."

Earlier, the Fine Gael deputy leader, Mrs Nora Owen, said the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue, should come into the House and reassure the State there would be security cover should gardai proceed with their "blue flu" protest.

The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, said there was widespread public concern about the issue. i? What is required of him is to sideline his compromised Minister and give the responsibility to somebody else." The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, said Mr Quinn was engaging in political mischief. The Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, asked when the Minister was "going to shake off his lethargy on the issue".