FRIDAY
17.50. The Taoiseach is having a meeting in his office with Democratic Left Minister of State, Pat Rabbitte, when he is told by Government press secretary, Shane Kenny, that RTE had received a statement claiming to be from the IRA announcing the end to the ceasefire.
18.30 Officials are told to check it while the Taoiseach fulfils an engagement in the Royal Hibernian Academy in Ely Place. When he returns to his office, the Canary Wharf bomb has exploded. He cancels an engagement in Killiney and summons a meeting of available Cabinet Ministers.
The Tanaiste, Dick Spring, is on the Government jet returning from Washington when he hears the news.
21.30. The Cabinet meeting begins. Present are the Taoiseach, Proinsias De Rossa, Nora Owen, Richard Bruton, Sean Barrett, Ivan Yates, Enda Kenny, Michael Lowry, Brendan Howlin, Niamh Bhreathnach, Pat Rabbitte, Government Whip, Jim Higgins, and Attorney General, Dermot Gleeson. The Garda Commissioner, Patrick Culligan, and officials from relevant Departments such as Foreign Affairs and Justice attend parts of the meeting to brief the Ministers.
22.30. Taoiseach issues a statement condemning the resumption of violence and appealing to those with influence with the IRA to use it to ensure no further acts of violence take place. The Cabinet also decides to cancel the release of nine republican prisoners due the next day. A Northern Ireland sub committee meeting is arranged for 10.30p.m. on Saturday.
The Taoiseach telephones President Clinton and Prime Minister, John Major.
Fianna Fail leader, Bertie Ahern, meets front bench member, Ray Burke, and advisers. He has lengthy phone contact with principal adviser on Northern Ireland affairs, Dr Martin Mansergh, who is in Britain. Contact is also made with Sinn Fein. A statement is issued.
24.00 Tanaiste lands in Dublin and goes straight to Government Buildings. He confers with the Taoiseach and officials until and gets to his Dublin home at 2.30.
SATURDAY
11.00 Sub committee meeting gets under way. Consists of Taoiseach, Tanaiste, Proinsias De Rossa, Nora Owen and Attorney General. Officials also present from Taoiseach's Department, Foreign Affairs and Justice. Much of the time is spent drafting a lengthy Government statement.
Mr De Rossa leaves to take part in Saturday View on RTE. After a break, the meeting ends about 15.30.
Taoiseach gives press conference flanked by Tanaiste, Minister for Justice and Minister for Social Welfare.
Later the three Coalition leaders brief Bertie Ahern and Progressive Democrats leader, Mary Harney. Meeting lasts about 10 minutes.
11.00 Fianna Fail front bench meets in the Gresham Hotel for two hours. It agrees to ask President Clinton to appoint Senator George Mitchell as a "peace envoy" to try to rescue the peace process. This proposal will be put to the US ambassador, Jean Kennedy Smith, at a meeting in the embassy this morning The PD leader has telephone contacts with her front bench over the weekend.
Taoiseach gives numerous media interviews including one with The Week In Politics where he says that contacts with Sinn Fein at top political level will be suspended until the ceasefire is restored but that lines of communication will remain open.
SUNDAY
Taoiseach and Mr Major speak for 30 minutes on the phone. They agree that the priority is "the immediate end to violence and the restoration of the ceasefire". The next step should be to continue working to achieve the peace process. They also confirm that they will have a summit later this month.
Mr Ahern in interviews expresses concern that political talks between the Government and Sinn Fein are to be suspended.
Ms Harney calls on the two leaders to consider convening talks involving all the Northern parties except Sinn Fein. This would test the bona fides of the unionist parties who object to talks involving Sinn Fein. It would also be an incentive to Sinn Fein/IRA to renounce violence, she says.