The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, will meet the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, in Belfast this afternoon to discuss security and, in particular, the threat from republican dissidents.
Garda Commissioner Mr Pat Byrne and RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan are also expected to attend the meeting. They will brief the politicians on operations against dissidents on both sides of the Border.
It is believed that Mr O'Donoghue and Mr Mandelson will also discuss the progress of investigations into the Omagh bombing. The dangers posed by a possible republican feud will also be on the agenda, following the killing of "Real IRA" member Mr Joseph O'Connor, who was buried yesterday.
Meanwhile, a senior Ulster Unionist said internal discord is no excuse for the IRA not living up to commitments on arms.
Mr Michael McGimpsey MLA, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, said the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, must "face down rejectionists in his movement. If he does not and the IRA dishonours the Hillsborough pact, Sinn Fein must pay the price of default".
Mr McGimpsey called on Sir Ronnie to spell out whether the IRA was under suspicion for the murder of Mr O'Connor, and other killings in recent months.
The Alliance Party has also called for movement on weapons. Speaking after meeting the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning, the party's leader, Mr Sean Neeson, said he was disappointed at the lack of progress on arms.
Mr Neeson said he had been told there had been no second inspection of IRA arms dumps. "When the IRA made their statement, I believed the inspections would happen on a regular basis, and one is long overdue," he said.
Sinn Fein, meanwhile, kept up pressure on the British government yesterday, as Mr Adams accused it of breaking promises on demilitarisation.
Speaking on a visit to south Armagh, Mr Adams claimed there were five British army/RUC bases in the area, along with "14 hilltop forts, 31 spy posts, more than 3,000 troops and police officers - one for every eight civilians - and more than 200 helicopter flights a month".