The White House has dismissed newspaper reports that Northern Ireland political parties will be excluded from St Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington.
A State Department spokeswoman said the issuing of invitations was still under review.
"No decision has been taken regarding invites being sent to Northern Ireland parties," she said.
Diplomats and White House officials claimed they were baffled to receive calls inquiring why the parties had been excluded.
Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble issued a statement this evening expressing "shock and disgust" at the US position.
He said the IRA's alleged responsibility for stg£26.7 million heist "should be enough to destroy any remaining American sentimentality about the IRA, an organisation that appears to have successfully transformed itself into not a democratic party but rather an organised crime syndicate."
Reports indicated the Bush administration would break with tradition and not invite any political parties to St Patrick's Day celebrations. The reports said it would be politically difficult to invite Sinn Féin and rather than cause offence to the republican party it would not invite anyone.
It would have been the first time in more than a decade that Sinn Féin and the main unionist parties had not taken part in the March 17th events.
The Taoiseach Mr Ahern told the Dáil yesterday that a decision had already been taken by the Bush administration on the issue but he did not specify further.
The Minister for Foreign Minister Affairs, Mr Ahern, is in currently Washington for a series of meetings and is expected to be briefed on the situation.
Additional reporting PA