THE North's Political Minister, Mr Michael Ancram, accused the IRA of giving a "slap in the face" to the people of Northern Ireland. He was commenting on an interview published in An Phoblacht/Republican News in which an IRA spokesman said the "necessary dynamic" was lacking to move us all away from conflict".
Mr Ancram told reporters that efforts to reach a settlement would continue, with or without Sinn Fein. "The process in which we are involved is a democratic process which will go on regardless. We will continue with that process through elections to all party talks on the 10th of June and we will begin those negotiations thereafter with the intention of coming out at the end of them with a comprehensive settlement.
"It is up to the republicans and to Sinn Fein as to whether they are included in that process or whether they continue to exclude themselves," Mr Ancram said.
The deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mr John Taylor, said a renewed IRA campaign "could only lead to mayhem in all parts of the island of Ireland."
"At a time when both the Irish and United Kingdom governments have agreed a process to provide access for Provisional Sinn Fein into democratic dialogue, the decision by the IRA is totally irresponsible and could only result in economic decline and increased deprivation in all parts of the island.
"The IRA do not speak for most people in either the Republic or Northern Ireland. Their decision can only bring greater hardship to all communities.
"Should the IRA reject the opportunities now available to their spokesmen in Sinn Fein and persist with their policy of a return to terrorism, then both governments have a joint responsibility to act in concert to bring upon all suspected members of terrorist organisations the full might of the security initiatives available to them", Mr Taylor said.
The UUP security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis, said the IRA was "not serious" about entering the democratic process. "They are simply attempting to open a window of political opportunity which will enable them to get their key players out of prison to get support in the United States, particularly financial support and give them time to reorganise a body of men that has been leaking information and has had a very high rate of attrition to endure prior to the ceasefire.
The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Rev Ian Paisley, said that if the IRA was "not prepared to go through the door to proper democracy", it should be left behind.
The Alliance Party chief whip, Mr Sean Neeson, called for "people power" to reassert itself and "confront the handful of fascists who form the IRA Army Council".
Mr Billy Hutchinson of the fringe loyalist Progressive Unionist Party claimed the IRA was out of step with nationalist thinking.
"Irish nationalists have said since the Canary Wharf bomb that they don't want violence. They have protested on the streets and said they wanted their peace process given back to them, so I think the IRA should reconsider and remember that they don't have a mandate for all the people who belong to Irish nationalism."
If there were another 25 years of war from republicans, loyalists would be drawn in as well. "The last thing we need is to go back to where we were over the last 25 years," he said.
But Mr Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein told a BBC interviewer that over the last 18 months the IRA had shown itself to be open to persuasion. "I presume they are still open to persuasion if we can bring about a situation where all the preconditions have been removed and people can be assured that we are involved in a real and meaningful process to tackle all of the issues at the heart of this conflict."
. The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, stressed his determination in the House of Commons yesterday to continue the peace process.
During Prime Minister's Question Time, Mr Major insisted he was not prepared to allow the IRA to stop the constitutional process and said Sinn Fein could join the talks when the ceasefire was restored.
. Cardinal Cahal Daly said last night that a "critical moment" has arrived in the peace process and that the coming weeks will be "fateful for the future of peace.
"We must pray hungrily for the reinstatement of the ceasefire, and for the participation of all parties in inclusive all party negotiations for a lasting settlement."
The Cardinal's message came as Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist leaders appealed to all parishes and congregations across Ireland to observe Sunday next as a day of prayer for lasting peace.