The Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny this evening called on the Government to clarify reports that it had been prepared to release the killers of Garda Jerry McCabe as part of a deal with Sinn Fein to bring about the restoration of the North's institutions last autumn.
Mr Kenny's call comes in spite of a Department of Justice statement which said the Government's stance regarding those convicted over the killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe "has not and will not change".
The statement follows a BBC report that the Government was prepared to release the men in a deal to restore devolution in Northern Ireland last October.
A spokesman for the Department said the men would remain behind bars while the Provisional IRA continued with acts of paramilitarism.
"Sinn Féin has repeatedly demanded that the Irish Government release the persons convicted in relation to the killing of Garda Jerry McCabe, who continue to serve sentences imposed on them by the courts," the spokesman said.
"The Government has always made it clear that it would not authorise any such release in the context of continued Provisional paramilitarism. The Government's position has not and will not change," he added.
The BBC report said a deal was reached with the Republican movement for the men's release, as part of a series of measures to be adopted in the event of a deal on devolution.
However, the overall deal on devolution was scuppered when the Ulster Unionist Party demanded more information on a third act of IRA decommissioning.
Garda McCabe was killed and a colleague, Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan, was injured during an attempted armed robbery in the village of Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7th, 1996.
Pearse McAuley and Kevin Walsh are serving 14- and 12-year prison sentences for the manslaughter of Det McCabe. Kevin Walsh, Jeremiah Sheehy and Michael O'Neill who were also part of the gang, are also in Castlerea Prison, Co Roscommon.
John Quinn was jailed for conspiracy to commit robbery in Adare and was recently released having served his sentence.
Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, called on the Taoiseach to make a full statement on the reports.
"This allegation that the Government was prepared to agree to the early release of the killers of Jerry McCabe flies in the face of the repeated and unambiguous assurances given to the Dáil," he said.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said the party did not comment on the content of negotiations.
"However our position on the Castlerea prisoners is clear," he said. "We believe they should have been released a long time ago under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement."
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors said they were "outraged that we have to learn from media reports that some sort of a 'deal' appears to have been done"
Later the AGSI said the Department of Justice statement appeared to imply that the prisoners could be released if paramilitary activity ceased.
"AGSI reaffirms that it will oppose the release of the persons convicted of the killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe on any grounds," the association added.