The possibilty of a "truth commission" for the North moved a staged closer today when Britain said it was beginning the search for a way to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.
Two months after British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the government was investigating how the North could put its bloody past behind it, Northern Secretary Paul Murphy announced he was beginning a consultation exercise.
"This is a complex and profoundly sensitive subject. There are no ready-made solutions," said Mr Murphy in statement to the British Parliament in London.
"Opinion is divided on some aspects of the way forward, and the pain of victims and their families remains very real."
The six years since the Belfast Agreement have seen an increase in allegations about the role of the security forces in the conflict.
The pressure for new investigations and public inquiries have led some, including Northern Ireland's police chief Hugh Orde, to suggest a form of South African-style truth commission should be set up.
"Over the weeks ahead, I will be embarking on a programme of discussions with a wide range of people with relevant experiences and expertise," said Mr Murphy. "These discussions will initially take the form of private soundings, which will in due course lead to wider consultation."
The Northern Ireland Secretary will travel to South Africa next week to study the model of its Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which aimed to deal with the legacy of apartheid, and will also meet victims' groups in Northern Ireland.