The number of former paramilitaries likely to avail of an amnesty in the Republic is small, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil.
He repeated that the scheme would not apply to persons connected with the killing of Det Garda Jerry McCabe and the wounding of Garda Ben O'Sullivan.
Mr Ahern said that the Government's intentions regarding "on-the-runs" (OTRs) were referred to as far back as Weston Park in July 2001.
"For a number of reasons, it was not possible to advance this issue in the intervening period, but both governments have now published their proposals on the matter and the approach envisaged in our respective jurisdictions," Mr Ahern said.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte had asked Mr Ahern to comment on proposals "which are tantamount to an amnesty for the so-called on-the-runs". The SDLP had recommended that applicants for an amnesty would have to present at a trial and that there would have to be a decision in terms of their innocence or guilt.
Even where no prison sentence would be imposed, they would have to present at a trial.
Mr Ahern said that in dealing with matters related to Northern Ireland, he had repeatedly told the House that in particular circumstances on-the-runs would have to be addressed.
"It is now 4½ years since we completed the deliberations on that issue in Weston Park, where we first decided it should be resolved," he said.
The cases they were dealing with involved people wanted in connection with offences committed prior to the Good Friday agreement in April 1998 - people who, if they had been serving sentences at the time of the agreement, would have been released early under its terms.
The principle was the same, he added.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said that in the past fortnight 50 nationalists had been visited by the PSNI and advised that their names and personal details were on files now in the hands of unionist paramilitaries.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was one of those advised that his life was in danger.
Mr Ahern said that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, previous ministers and himself had continually raised with the British, through the secretariat and the Secretary of State, matters of collusion and names being passed to individuals. They would continue to do that.
Replying to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, the Taoiseach said he had always made it clear, in the context of restored confidence and trust in the peace process, that he would make proposals for Oireachtas participation by all Northern MPs.
"They complement other proposals, including that for a North-South parliamentary forum. For too long we have not paid enough attention to Northern Ireland issues, and the need to understand each other and work together is highly commendable."
Mr Ahern said that there should be an all-party consensus on the issue.
