The Taoiseach denied he had used words attributed to him by the president of Sinn Fein when refusing to have the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe included in the early release programme under the Belfast Agreement.

Mr Ahern was challenged by the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, to confirm if he had told Mr Gerry Adams before the signing of the agreement on Good Friday, as the SF president had claimed in an interview on Radio Kerry, that it would be "very difficult" to include them. "Can I take it that Mr Adams is telling an untruth in attributing such words to the Taoiseach?"

Mr Ahern said that Mr Adams had made a statement on Tuesday night which clarified his position that there had been no agreement on the issue. "The position of the Government was made absolutely clear and there it rests, as it has for the last 10 months."

Mr Bruton asked: "Did the Taoiseach use the words attributed to him by Mr Adams on Radio Kerry?"

Mr Ahern replied: "I did not hear exactly what he said, but in terms of what Deputy Bruton has said there was no doubt or comfort given regarding those who murdered Jerry McCabe. As far as the words Deputy Bruton used this morning, I did not use any such words. It was absolutely clear."

When the Fine Gael leader said that it had taken a long time for the Taoiseach to admit this, Mr Ahern said that statements were made and clarified outside the House. "I am not going to be dragged by Deputy Bruton into this. If he is having a row with Mr Adams, that has nothing to do with me."

Mr Adams's interview with Radio Kerry was on the station's Kerry Today programme on Tuesday morning. The presenter, Paul Sheehan, referred Mr Adams to a report in The Irish Times last Friday which revealed that Sinn Fein representatives had raised the early release of those then on remand for the killing of Det Garda McCabe.

Mr Adams replied: "Well, I raised the case. I raised the case with the Taoiseach. I put it to the Taoiseach that if those people charged with this offence and on remand, if they were sentenced, that they would have to be part of . . . releases, and the Taoiseach said, `Well, there would be great difficulties over that', and we agreed to disagree. . ."

Later in the interview, Mr Adams said: "He [Mr Ahern] said, if my recollection is accurate, `That will be very difficult', or words to that effect. You know, in negotiations, especially negotiations of that nature, and remember in the early hours of Good Friday morning the unionists were refusing to buy into this, and there was a whole attempt, I suppose, by everyone to keep every other party on board. . ."