The dark shadow we seem to see in the distance is not really a mountain ahead, but the shadow of the mountain behind - a shadow from the past thrown forward into our future. It is a dark sludge of historical sectarianism. We can leave it behind us if we wish.

The decision to give an indicative date for a return is a mistake. It degrades the process. It degrades human life.

Politics can be likened to driving at night over unfamiliar hills and mountains. Close attention must be paid to what the beam can reach and the next bend.

We had the IRA ceasefire in August 1994 and a lot of people assumed that a deal had been done - which wasn't right.

It wasn't too difficult to see that [Ian] Paisley would never do anything positive.

The one thing I can assure you is that I'm not going to do a Prescott.

I had read an early profile of [Tony] Blair by Frank Millar in which he said that Blair was very keen on the 'consent principle'.