There is massive disquiet in Sinn Fein and a belief that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness should have sent the Mitchell Principles "back where they came from", according to Mr Joe Dylan, PRO for the newly formed republican group Thirty-two County Sovereignty Committee. While the committee supports the IRA ceasefire, when asked about the armed struggle Mr Dylan referred again to the 1919 Declaration (which states that whatever means are necessary should be used to establish a Republic). "We have no problem whatsoever in seeing the British challenged militarily".
Mr Dylan says the committee wants the issue of Ireland's sovereignty to be recognised by the British. "Then there will be peace. This is the issue of importance to the Irish people, but Britain will not recognise our sovereignty and it is being put down by force."
The committee was formed last Sunday night after a meeting in Dublin of republicans unhappy with the peace process. Its membership includes the nine people who resigned from the Co Louth branch of Sinn Fein last month.
The current 15 seats on the committee will increase to 32 so every county on the island of Ireland is represented, and Mr Dylan says each county will draw up a blueprint of what it wants.
He says that with the signing of the Mitchell principles the peace process is "back to the drawing board", because they will allow for a modern form of partition. "There will be a reformed Northern state, it will be only a matter of time before it blows up again."
The group will oppose the referendums proposed for both sides of the Border for next year.
Mr Dylan says he is a member of Sinn Fein and the group welcomes republicans from all sides. He would not be drawn on whether the group's membership included the former quartermaster-general who was reported to have been among those to withdraw support from the Sinn Fein leadership after it signed the Mitchell Principles.