THE Government's handling of the failed Duncan extradition case controversy was defended by the Tanaiste.
"I can assure the House that in my estimation the Duncan case has no implications whatever for the peace process or for wider Anglo Irish relations," said Mr Spring.
The Fianna Fail spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Ray Burke, asked if Anglo Irish relations were helped by the briefing from a Government press secretary on the weekend the case collapsed to the effect that the fault was on the British side. Mr Spring said he had two meetings in recent weeks with the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, and the matter was not referred to at either.
Pressed by Mr Burke to say if he was satisfied with the handling of the case by the Government Information Service and by the personnel involved, Mr Spring said "I have absolute confidence in the handling of the case by the Minister for Justice and the Taoiseach and the others involved.
Mr Michael McDowell (PD, Dublin South East) asked if the House was expected to believe that Iveagh House, like all the other Departments, "simply saw no evil, heard no evil and kept its head down" during the six weeks between the collapse of the case and the official explanation from the Garda.
Mr Spring replied "We all have line responsibilities, and I think it is very important that line Ministers are allowed to get on with their jobs and their functions and that is the way government should operate."