The Minister for Foreign Affairs has said the Government has not reneged on promises made to the widow of Garda Jerry McCabe that her husband's killers would not be released early.
Speaking in Newry, Dermot Ahern was responding to remarks by Anne McCabe that she was devastated to hear Taoiseach Bertie Ahern say yesterday that the prisoners could be released early under certain circumstances.
Mrs McCabe said she did not want to go down in history as the woman who stalled the peace process, but she said she had written assurances from the Government that the killers would not be released under any circumstances.
The Foreign Affairs Minister said the Government had total sympathy for Mrs McCabe.
He said her husband's killers would not be released early unless and until paramilitarism and all that goes with it had ended once and for all.
Mr Ahern agreed it was not impossible the prisoners would get early release if a political deal on the North was achieved, but he said that was one of the unpalatable things that might have to be done if the deal was to be sealed.
Earlier in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said the possible release of Det Garda McCabe's killers was 'an issue that will have to be dealt with' if a comprehensive deal on Northern Ireland is forthcoming.
Mr Ahern said it was a request from 'one of the parties' in the peace process.
He said he would rather not have to deal with it and that he was very aware of the sensitivities involved.
He said if a comprehensive deal was on the table he would be talking to the family of Det Garda McCabe and the GRA.
