The Garda Representative Association emerged from a meeting with the Minister for Justice this evening saying it was somewhat reassured that the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe will stay in jail.
General Secretary PJ Stone, said they had received qualified explanations from Michael McDowell in relation to the situation regarding the men in Castlerea prison and they would now consult again with their members.
Mr Stone denied that this is a dramatic change from the association's stance up to this afternoon, and said the GRA would take whatever action was necessary to ensure the men serve their full sentences.
At its central executive meeting this morning, the GRA had decided to take legal advice on whether or not the letter from the former Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, to the McCabe family was a legal contract.
That letter stated that the men would serve their full sentences.
The GRA had said that if the letter was found to be a legally binding contract then the association would take the Government to court to ensure the contract is upheld.
Government sources say the GRA delegation made a number of proposals to the Minister for Justice in relation to the McCabe case.
It is understood the minister will discuss the proposals with the Taoiseach, who is out of the country on EU business, and they may then be brought to next week's Cabinet meeting
This morning, the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, said that the release of the killers would not be considered except in circumstances in which paramilitary activities had come to a complete end and the IRA was stood down forever.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Ms Harney said those circumstances would also have to include the implementation of all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement and the completion of paramilitary decommissioning.
These circumstances were still far away, Ms Harney added.
The family of Jerry McCabe earlier said they trust the integrity of the pledges by the Government that his killers will not be released early from prison.
In a statement released this morning, the family said their sole consolation had been the solemn undertaking given by the Government that rulings of the courts of the land would be complied with.
Jerry McCabe was shot by the IRA in a foiled post office robbery attempt in Adare in June 1996.
