6 MAY 1922, Page 3

Dail Eireann on Wednesday discussed.the Kilkenny fighting and Mr. Griffith,

the President of the Provisional Government. justified all that his troops had done, pointing out that they were only defending themselves. Ultimately it was agreed that a Committee should consider the peace manifesto which had been issued two or three days before by officers of the rival forces and should suggest means of ending the civil war. We must put on record the fact that Mr. Michael Collins during the debate repeated his statement that he regarded the Treaty " as a step towards a Republic."