The Taoiseach said this morning the Government may consider releasing State papers on the Omagh bombing to the victims' families.
The families want the papers as part of their €20 million civil action against five men they claim carried out the bombing that killed 29 people in 1998.
The Special Criminal Court turned down their legal bid for access to certain trial transcripts on Monday, ruling they did not have jurisdiction to hear the application. Lawyers for the relatives applied to the court for transcripts and books of evidence relating to a number of recent trials at the court involving men who are named in the Belfast High Court action.
However, Mr Ahern told the Dáil this morning he was to seek legal advice from the Attorney General and Minister for Justice on the possibility of moving the relevant documents to the National Archive in advance of the traditional 30 year period.
"I appreciate the importance of the papers (but) I'm not aware of what the legal complexities are," he said in response to a question from the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte.
The Omagh Victims Civil Action Group is taking a civil action against Michael McKevitt, Seamus Daly, Seamus McKenna, Liam Campbell and Colm Murphy.
The action is expected to be heard at the High Court in Belfast later this year. At present the action has reached the discovery stage and numerous applications are before the Dublin and Belfast courts.