Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has welcomed the establishment of an independent consultative group to examine how best to deal with the 3,000 unsolved murders committed during the Troubles.
Mr Ahern said: "Our focus must always be on building a better future for the people of this island, it is right that we think again about how we try and address the human legacy of an appalling conflict."
Northern Secretary Peter Hain announced yesterday that consultative group will be chaired jointly by former Denis vice-chairman of the North's Policing Board Denis Bradley and Archbishop Robin Eames.
Lord Eames said the group wanted to "hear the voices of those who have stories to tell". He believed such an initiative would have been impossible without the successful setting up of a powersharing Executive at Stormont last month.
Mr Ahern said: "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 added.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said: "We have recently witnessed a hugely positive new beginning for Northern Ireland. With that perhaps comes a moment for fresh thinking about how to deal with the painful legacy of the past."
"There is overwhelming agreement on the need to build on the progress we have made and to look to a better and shared future for the people of this island. However, we cannot turn away from those who have lost and suffered so much over the course of this conflict," he said.
PA