Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has greeted the formation of an independent group to examine ways of addressing the legacy of the Troubles. Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor, reports.
Former Church of Ireland primate Lord Robin Eames, and Denis Bradley, the first vice-chairman of the policing board, are to head a group of eight representing a broad cross-section of society. They will report about this time next year.
The Taoiseach said: "Of course, the best possible response to the tragedies we have seen is to make them forever a thing of the past.
"We have an unprecedented opportunity now to lay the foundations of a peaceful, prosperous and shared society on this island for the generations to come.
"We owe it to so many people, who were lost, or lost those they loved, to seize this moment and build that future."
He was supported by the US special envoy to Northern Ireland, Paula Dobriansky.
Backing the initiative, she added: "The tremendous political progress made over this past year offers an opportunity to build a real consensus on how Northern Ireland deals with its past . . . We offer our full support to the consultative group."
However Sinn Féin, SDLP and victims' representatives questioned British commitment to the project.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Francie Molloy said: "Inevitably serious concerns do and will arise from the fact that the group is appointed by the British government and will report back to the British government which will have the final say on any recommendations."
SDLP Assembly member Dolores Kelly said: "I was disappointed to read Peter Hain's platform which talked of the British government's reluctance to fund dealing with the past.
"The timing of this is frankly worrying. Hiding behind the smokescreen of the treasury will just not do. There is no excuse to dismiss the plight of victims.
"The core responsibility in dealing with victims' issues is the remit of the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers."
Mark Thompson from nationalist victim group Relatives for Justice said: "Notwithstanding our respect for, and the individual integrity of, each panel member, the fact is that there is no one on the panel with any experience of human rights, transitional or victims' issues.
Mr Thompson said, given that the panel would have to deal with significant matters such as killings and systematic human rights abuses, "the lack of experiential background is an indication of the lack of seriousness with which the British government has taken this issue."
A senior police officers' body said the committee's formation should mean that inquiries into controversial killings would be suspended.