IP: Oh, yes. All Roman Catholics are not Irish Republicans and all Protestants are not unionists. It is the political element. Should we be part and parcel of the United Kingdom, or should we be separated from the United Kingdom and be governed by the majority of the people in the South of Ireland? That is the real issue. Because of history, mostly Roman Catholics were Republicans and Nationalists and most Protestants were Unionists. It's only after you've lived here that you can understand it. It's a strange thing.

CT. Sinn Fein says its objective remains a united Ireland. Do you think Ireland ultimately will be united?

IP: No, I don't. I think that's wishful thinking on their part. They have to say that to try to keep their followers happy. Everybody knows the very heart of the united Ireland policy was never to give any credence to British rule and especially Republicans always saw the police as representatives of a foreign power that was keeping them in subjection and out of union. Now that they are prepared to take office in a government that is part and parcel of the United Kingdom and also to take the oath of allegiance to the police, I think they have foresworn general Republican thinking.

CT. Looking ahead, what do you see for Northern Ireland in the next 25 to 30 years?

IP: I think we have passed a very sad and dark arena in regard to this matter. Among the young people, I think there is a desire to have a better country and I think there is a will in them to do everything possible, rather than surrender their allegiance to Britain. They are going to be prepared to make this country their country in which they will have a say in what is being done. The people have felt they have been left out of the equation altogether. We have given our lives in defense of Britain and Britain has betrayed us. The time has come now when there is a strong streak of independence, not independence from Britain, but independence to govern ourselves.

CT: Looking back over the last 30 years and the more than 3,500 people who have been killed in "The Troubles," do you have any regrets about anything you have said or done?

IP: I may have said and done things that if I had to say and do them again I might have said and done them differently. But I have no real regrets that the line I took was the right line. I think that has now been vindicated by what has happened. We have got a deal we were told we couldn't get. It is quite clear to everybody there is going to be no united Ireland for 100 years, at least.