The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said it is confident that the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe will probably serve out their full 14-year terms of imprisonment, report Conor Lally and Mark Hennessy.
The GRA comment followed a three-hour meeting with the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, in which they said he gave a commitment to consult the Taoiseach and Cabinet colleagues on a number of proposals put to him by the association.
They said Mr McDowell is expected to respond to their proposals "in the coming days".
However a Government spokesman said that the time needed for a response to the GRA might go beyond this week, though the Minister would consult colleagues.
The GRA Limerick representative, Mr Paul Browne, said after the meeting they could not go into details about what was said.
"But there was an awful lot that we weren't aware of [before the talks]. He told us the details of how the issue arose. There were a lot of meetings going on in Northern Ireland and in Britain and different areas. We wouldn't have been aware of a lot of that background."
When asked if the GRA was now confident Det McCabe's killers would not be released early, Mr Browne said: "Yes, we are reassured. Certainly there is no question of them being released in the foreseeable future. Although nobody can tell what is going to happen in 12 months or two years' time. But it will not happen in the present time."
The GRA general secretary, Mr P.J. Stone, said that while the association had been "somewhat reassured" at the meeting, rank-and-file gardaí are not completely happy with the situation surrounding any possible release of the killers.
However, Mr Stone said he was satisfied there was no change in their status and that there would be no change soon. "The future is for the future," he said.
But a British source told The Irish Times last night that Britain "always believed there was a deal" last October between the Irish Government and Sinn Féin to release the men.
The four men, Kevin Walsh, Pearse McCauley, Jerry Sheehy and Michael O'Neill, are serving up to 14 years for the manslaughter of Garda McCabe in June 1996.
In the Dáil yesterday the Taoiseach said that, while the Government "had enormous issues" about considering the release of the men, it was trying to stop the killing of "hundreds and thousands of people that has continued for over 30 years."
Mr Ahern added: "We are not prepared to let matters drift. We want to bring the peace process to finality, not play any games. That is what we are endeavouring to do."
He said "a complex set of undertakings" had been put in place last October, "some by the Government, some by Sinn Féin, some by the IRA, and some by unionists."
The possible release of the men was mooted last October as part of a deal in the event of a complete cessation of IRA violence. However, there have been a number of key developments since then which mean such a deal is less likely now.
Firstly, a report last month published by the Independent Monitoring Commission documented widespread beatings, shootings and serious criminal activity in which the IRA continues to be involved.
It also said some senior members of Sinn Féin were senior members of the IRA.
Secondly, the changed political climate in the North following last November's election made a concession to Sinn Féin such as the early release of Det McCabe's killers less possible. Following the elections the DUP has eclipsed the Ulster Unionist Party.
A spokesman for Mr McDowell said yesterday's talks were constructive. The Minister had been forthcoming and honest with the GRA and detailed the events surrounding the mooted release of Det McCabe's killers last October.