THE powers allocated to former US Senator George Mitchell, as independent chairman of the opening plenary session of the multi party talks, have not been diluted in any way, senior Government sources have confirmed.
Following agreement at Stormont that Mr Mitchell should take the chair, the sources last night insisted his authority had not been "hived away". The role envisaged for him in the two governments' guideline papers setting out the talks procedure would remain intact, they added.
Earlier, the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, told the Dail there was no change "in the underlying reality that, at the end of the day, the participants must agree on what they are doing".
Asked by the former Progressive Democrats leader, Mr Des O'Malley, if Mr Mitchell's powers had been "significantly diluted", the Taoiseach said the Government had made it clear it recognised that ultimately agreement on procedural and other issues in the negotiations was a matter ford the participants.
"That was always the case but the reassurance that it would remain the case was an important contributor in obtaining the agreement to proceed," he said.
In spite of furious words on Sinn Fein's response to the killing of Det Garda Jerry McCabe, Mr Bruton resisted suggestions from Mr O'Malley that he suspend meetings between Government officials and the party "until such time as there is a condemnation of the events in Adare on Friday last and the reinstatement of the ceasefire by the Provisional IRA".
"It is important that we maintain some margin for discretion to ensure that anything that can - reasonably be done - in respect of the principles to which a civilised government must adhere - is done to achieve a reinstatement of the ceasefire," Mr Bruton said. "As far as I am concerned I have authorised my officials to make available any information sought or that is reasonable."
He had already worked on the difficult task of having a ceasefire reinstated - "by an organisation which, without any justification, has used violence over the past 25 or 27 years. It is not something that is particularly easy to do to engage in the consultations that are necessary, but at the same time it is important to make the point that, without contact, without offering some information as - to what might be available if there is a reinstatement of the ceasefire it is less likely that a reinstatement of the ceasefire will be obtained," he added.
It was now a matter for Sinn Fein to make up its mind and go; to the IRA in search of a ceasefire. "They can still do so; I hope they do so; I asked them to do so; they have all the information they need to do so but I am not going to rule out, without qualification or any possibility of discretion, any accession to any conceivable request I might receive for further information or contact," Mr Bruton said.
But, in a deeply critical comment on Sinn Fein's response to the Adare murder, he said he found it "quite appalling" that Mr Pat Doherty was unable to condemn the killing. "I find it appalling that a man who was willing, had he been successful, to take his, seat in this House - a House that is guarded by members of the Garda Siochana - could not use the words `I condemn in regard to the killing of a member of the Garda Siochana. I find that deeply troubling," he said.