The Taoiseach has told the Dáil that an inquiry into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings should be ready early in the New Year.
However, Bertie Ahern agreed that Mr Justice Barron was still waiting for key information from the British authorities.
Mr Ahern said that if that information was not supplied, it was either unavailable or was in the "security system". He added that in the case of the latter, it was uncertain if the information would ever be seen.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny raised a letter from the British Ministry of Defence telling former employees not to co-operate with the Barron inquiry.
The Taoiseach said he was surprised by the letter, but that the British government had made it clear that co-operation was a matter for the individual, not for the Ministry.
In reply to a question from Socialist Party leader, Joe Higgins, Mr Ahern said the British Prime Minister had given a clear instruction that information should be handed over, but again said it might be held by the security services.
