Mansergh defends Taoiseach's statement about Real IRA

A Fianna Fail Senator who met Real IRA representatives after the Omagh bombing has defended the Taoiseach's statement to the Dáil in which he insisted that no member of the Government made contact with the Real IRA at the time.

Martin Mansergh had met with the Real IRA's leader in December of 1998 while he was the Taoiseach's special adviser on the North, to ask him to disband the terror group.

Senator Mansergh has said that the Taoiseach’s denial was justified because he was not a member of the Government at the time.

Meanwhile, the Government is facing allegations today garda were warned the Real IRA were planning a bomb attack in the North 24 hours before the Omagh bombing.

A former Real IRA mole says he alerted gardaí to a car stolen for use in the Omagh bombing, but the gardaí allowed the car to cross the border.