New papers on Dublin and Monaghan bombings
The Taoiseach has told the Dáil that new papers relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings have been discovered.
Mr Ahern said he was told about the documents during a meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy.
The Taoiseach said that he did not know what they contained, but that they were documents that had been sought by Justice Barren.
He added that the papers were found after an enormous trawl, and that authorities in the North were contininuing to do their utmost to comply with Justice Barren's wishes.
Mr Ahern also told the House that the round table talks beginning in Belfast tomorrow would not be a re-negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement.
He said that they were talking place on the basis of the full implementation of the Agreement, and that he hoped the parties would positively set out what they believed the issues were.
The Taoiseach added that he wanted to see substantial progress on the re-establishment of the North's political institutions before Christmas, but that this would be difficult.
Mr Ahern said that traditionally it was difficult to get progress approaching the marching season, and that anyone who thought that the current situation could go on beyond February was making a grave mistake.
