Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Precisely. The United States envoy to Northern Ireland, Mr. Richard Haass, is meeting representatives of the five parties in the second week of December and there are serious issues to be discussed in regard to events of the past, flags, parades and so on. Of course we hope for a satisfactory outcome to these discussions. Closer to home, the end of this month will see the publication of the report of the Smithwick tribunal, which is bound to raise questions in regard to collusion. I have no doubt there was collusion on both sides. Whether we like it or not, however, we simply must get real in regard to what happened in the past.