The US ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, has denied that she retaliated against members of the embassy staff in Dublin who disagreed with her decision to back a visa for Mr Gerry Adams in January 1994.

The US Secretary of State, Mr Warren Christopher, censured the ambassador by letter last week for allegedly freezing out and giving negative assessments of two of four officials who dissented from her visa policy.

The reprimand follows a highly critical report drawn up by the US State Department about Mrs Kennedy Smith's management of the Dublin embassy.

"While I cannot comment in detail about the inter workings of the State Department, it is a matter of public record that I recommended a visa for Gerry Adams to visit the United States", Mrs Kennedy Smith said.

"I believe then, and I continue to believe now, that this step did help to advance the peace process in Northern Ireland.

"I have always encouraged open and frank discussion among embassy employees and the expression of dissenting views, because this is the best way to maintain morale among embassy personnel and to arrive at sensible decisions which are in the best interests of the United States.

"Consistent with this, I never retaliated against those in the embassy who disagreed with my views on the Adams visa and, indeed, I strongly recommended for promotion two of the four officers who used the dissent channel", Mrs Kennedy Smith said ink a statement from the US embassy in Dublin.

The dissent channel is a recognised, but seldom used, means off communication to the higher levels of the State Department for officials abroad who disagree with US policy. It was instituted during the Vietnam War.

A report on the controversy by the Inspector's Office in the State Department sided with the career officials, Mr John Treacy and Mr Tom Callahan, in their complaint against Mrs Kennedy Smith, who is a political appointee. They said that they had been excluded from embassy functions and became the subject of unfavourable performance reports because of their dissent.

The 26 page report, which has been seen by The Irish Times, criticised Mrs Kennedy Smith's management style as antagonistic to open discourse and recommended "appropriate disciplinary action".

This took the form of the letter from Mr Christopher. The report was submitted recently to the office of Republican Senator Jesse. Helms, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who will decide if any action will be taken in Congress.