Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday (Wednesday) said the report his government had received from Judge Peter Cory into allegations of collusion on both sides of the border was ready to be published.
The Irish government received two reports and the British four after Judge Cory's investigation into eight murders in six controversial cases allegedly involving collusion between the security forces and paramilitary groups.
The contents of the documents, submitted last month to both governments after 18 months of investigations, were due to be published simultaneously later this year.
The retired Canadian Supreme Court judge investigated claims of collusion in the murders in the Republic of Lord Justice and Lady Gibson as well as RUC Superintendent Bob Buchanan and Inspector Harry Breen. But Mr Ahern said he was unsure whether the British government was ready to publish its side of the report by Judge Cory, right.
The Taoiseach said he would ask Prime Minister Tony Blair next week.
"If their reports are not ready then we shall have to consider when we publish our report," Mr Ahern said.
"But I know that I did promise that I would not only publish our report but get the British to publish their report as well so I will discuss that issue next week.
"Our work on the Cory report is effectively finished so we are ready to publish, subject to that arrangement with the British."
Arguments over the British government's timing of publication of the report have escalated in recent weeks.
Relatives of some of those murdered have pressed for early publication of the reports rather than the delay predicted by the British government.
Secretary of State Paul Murphy said he was determined for the truth to emerge and that he would undertake to publish the reports as soon as possible.
The guidelines given to both governments were to make alterations to the reports only to ensure that individuals' privacy was protected and state security was maintained.
