Fianna Fail is happy to acknowledge the brilliance of Michael Collins during the War of Independence, according to the party leader, Mr Bertie Ahern.
Speaking in Ennis, Co Clare, at a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of his party's foundation, Mr Ahern said he would not like to see renewed recrimination or reversion to civil war politics "as a result of recent films or books".
"We in Fianna Fail are more than willing to acknowledge the brilliant role of Michael Collins in the War of Independence and, aside from objectionable extra judicial decisions in 1922, we do acknowledge the state building achievements of W.T. Cosgrave. It is quite appropriate for their Fine Gael successors to take particular pride in these."