Relatives of those killed on Bloody Sunday in Derry have given a cautious welcome to the new judicial inquiry announced by the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair. They said the "historic" announcement meant they could now declare the report compiled by Lord Widgery to be dead.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said he was "happy and very pleased" with the announcement, and paid tribute to Mr Blair. The Government's assessment of new material, released after Mr Blair's announcement, sharply criticised the Widgery Report.
The three-member tribunal of inquiry is to be headed by a senior judge, Lord Saville of Newdigate. Mr Blair said the other two members were "likely to be from the Commonwealth"; it is understood one may be a South African.
There was speculation that the inquiry would be able to begin its proceedings formally in about a month's time. Unlike the Widgery Report, delivered within 11 weeks of the shootings, it is thought the Saville Tribunal could take about a year to complete its work.
The tribunal is expected to hold public sittings in Derry, Belfast, London and possibly other locations. It is believed security considerations may require that some of the hearings are held in private.
"Questions of immunity from prosecution for those giving evidence to the inquiry will be for the tribunal to consider in individual cases," Mr Blair said.
The Prime Minister said "the weight of material now available is such that these events require re-examination". It is thought London may have been influenced by the Government's declared determination to publish its own severely critical analysis of the Widgery Report, no matter what decision was made on an inquiry.
"Our concern now is simply to establish the truth and close this painful chapter once and for all," Mr Blair said. It was in everyone's interests "that the truth is established, and told".
In an "interim response" on behalf of the families of the 14 who died, the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign said: "The task now is to replace the discredited Widgery Report with a complete and truthful account of what happened on Bloody Sunday and why." It looked forward to discussing specific details and procedures with the British government and Lord Saville.
The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, said "the truth of what happened on that awful day in Derry" was necessary, and threatened nobody. The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, paid tribute to the "courage, determination and resilience" of the families, and said no stone must be left unturned in pursuit of the truth.
However, Mr Sammy Wilson of the Democratic Unionist Party described Mr Blair's approach as "pathetic". He added: "If he thinks it will put the matter to rest forever, he is a fool." In a separate development in Northern Ireland yesterday, the Loyalist Volunteer Force announced it would cease random attacks on Catholics and concentrate on known republicans and targets in the Republic.