The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said she had no specific information about claims that dissident republicans were planning a spectacular action. She had been asked by the Fine Gael spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, if she shared the views of the RUC Chief Constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, that the "Real IRA" and other dissident republican groups were attempting to organise some sort of "terrorist spectacular". Had the Government taken steps to thwart such an attempt, he asked.

The Minister responded that since the Omagh bombing last year, the security forces had been extremely vigilant about loyalist and republican paramilitary activities. There was an absolute commitment by security personnel on both sides of the Border in this regard. She had no detailed information about the "spectacular" to which Mr Mitchell had referred. However, sufficient security intelligence resources were in place to exercise vigilance.

Earlier, Ms O'Donnell told Mr Mitchell that it remained the Government's view that the paramilitary ceasefires had not broken down. "Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor the situation carefully."

She believed that the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement represented the best chance for the achievement of lasting peace and stability. "It is essential, therefore, that the golden opportunity to break the impasse that Senator Mitchell's review represents is grasped fully and quickly."