The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said it is clear to him that in the US as well as in Ireland there is widespread support for efforts to resolve the problems in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Speaking in Washington before travelling home today, Mr Ahern said the manner in which the republican movement dealt with Robert McCartney's murder would be a litmus test.
The story of Mr McCartney's murder and his relatives' campaign to bring his killers to justice have given Americans a focus on Irish affairs in a way not previously seen during the Bush presidency.
Mr McCartney's sisters and fiancée being received at the White House alongside Anne McCabe, the widow of murdered garda Jerry McCabe, has put the issue of criminality in context. The McCartneys' plight has become an international news story.
Against this backdrop in Washington Mr Ahern made a calculated gamble by meeting Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams.
Mr Ahern also said he is open to having a substantial meeting with Sinn Féin after Easter. But he emphasised he has no intention of softening his line on problems that have emerged in recent months.
