A tribunal of inquiry into alleged collusion by gardaí with the IRA killers of two senior RUC officers in 1989 is expected to start in the spring after an independent report found enough evidence to suggest collusion may have taken place.
Retired Canadian judge Peter Cory has found that the documents he has considered "reveal evidence that, if accepted, could be found to constitute collusion" between gardaí and the killers of Chief Supt Harry Breen and Supt Bob Buchanan.
The two were ambushed and shot dead by the IRA on March 29th, 1989, close to the Border as they returned from a meeting with senior gardaí in Dundalk.
A key part of the evidence suggesting collusion is a statement by the British intelligence agent Kevin Fulton, who infiltrated the IRA and provided Judge Cory with a statement three months ago.
In a separate report on the IRA killing of Lord Justice Gibson and Lady Gibson on April 25th, 1987, the judge said he could "come to no other conclusion that there is simply no evidence of collusion on which to base a direction to hold a public inquiry".
Announcing the Government decision to set up an inquiry, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said he expected "a fairly exact and focused and short-term tribunal".
The reports published yesterday concern two of six cases of alleged collusion by the security forces in controversial killings. The judge was asked to inquire into each of these cases after there were discussions between the Northern Ireland parties and the Irish and British governments in 2001. It was agreed that a judge of international standing should be appointed to investigate.
The publication yesterday by the Government of the reports into killings in the Republic will put further pressure on the British government to publish the reports into the other four killings which took place in the North, those of solicitors Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson, loyalist leader Billy Wright and Catholic youth Robert Hamill.
While Judge Cory is believed to be unhappy about the British delay, Government sources expect these to be published early next year. Mr McDowell noted yesterday that the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, this week repeated his commitment to publish the reports.
Indicating a belief that the delay on the British side was reasonable, Mr McDowell said: "The British government want time to consider the implications for individuals, just as we have required.
"The complexity in their cases may require a slightly lengthier period of deliberation on their part."
He also called on those responsible for the killings to co-operate fully with the tribunal, suggesting that if they don't, demands from republicans for full co-operation in relation to the other four killings will be hypocritical.
"You can't have a double standard. The perpetrators of the Breen and Buchanan murders will now face a simple choice.
"Do they expect others to co-operate fully with all of the Cory inquiries?
"If so, do they intend co-operating in like manner with the Breen and Buchanan inquiry? That is the issue for the so-called republican movement to answer clearly."