The Government withheld a formal response to the military strikes against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan last night as it assessed the developing situation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, will attend a meeting of the general affairs council of the EU in Brussels today, however, at which these developments will be discussed and a statement is likely to issue later.
Meanwhile, as chair of the UN Security Council, the Government was said to be monitoring the situation.
The air strikes in Afghanistan received strong support last night from Fine Gael.
The party's foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, said it was very clear from UN resolutions that the US and its allies were justified in using force to bring Osama bin Laden and the others responsible for the September 11th atrocities to justice.
Mr O'Keeffe added: "the Fine Gael position is that any military force must be directed towards bringing to justice those responsible and preventing further terrorism, rather than revenge or retaliation.
"We strongly support every humanitarian effort to reach the beleagured people of Afghanistan."
Members of the Irish Anti-War Movement held a small protest outside the US Embassy in Dublin yesterday evening on hearing of the strikes in Afghanistan.
A more substantial protest is planned for today, a spokesman said.
Protester Mr Kieran Allen said Mr Cowen should use Ireland's presidency of the UN Security Council to demand that the US and Britain should immediately cease "this unilateral action".