Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I am aware of the reports and the information, although I have not seen the full aspects of it yet. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, previous Ministers and I continually raise with the British through the Secretariat and the Secretary of State matters of collusion and names being passed to individuals, and we will continue to do that.

The practice of informing people about these issues is correct. When the PSNI believes there is a threat based on security information on personal security issues, people should be made aware of it. It is a fact that much of the information is coming from people in the Unionist and loyalist community who also believe information on them was held as a result of police collusion. The issue no longer comes from just one side, people from the loyalist and Unionist community have raised it in a number of high profile cases and have sought meetings with our officials and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. This demonstrates that it did happen and people now know that it happened. We will continue to highlight and raise the issue with the Secretary of State and the British Prime Minister.

From all that is happening, the PSNI is far more open, helpful, constructive and engaged in these issues and has made a real attempt to eliminate co-operation of this untoward nature that happened in the past. It is to the credit of the PSNI that it did that. We will raise these issues as we did in the past.

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