The Minister for Foreign Affairs has rejected as "totally unwarranted" a Fine Gael claim that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, was without Government support, over the possibility of a second term in office.

Mr Cowen said Mrs Robinson would have been "confident of receiving our renewed support had she decided to let her name go forward again". He praised her work and her "strict independence".

The Government "has re- spected that independence and has regarded any decision on whether Mrs Robinson would seek a further term of office as a matter between Mrs Robinson and the Secretary General" of the UN. "The Government, therefore had no discussions with Mrs Robinson on this matter."

Mr Jim O'Keeffe, of Fine Gael, said it seemed "Mrs Robinson was left out in the cold by her own Government".