The Government has been urged to drop its plans to grant presidential pardons to on-the-run (OTR) paramilitary suspects following the Britain's decision to scrap a proposed amnesty for terrorist fugitives in the North.
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said: "The onus is now on the Government to abandon its own ad-hoc proposals to grant presidential pardons to on-the-runs".
Mr Rabbitte said: "The British and Irish governments must now engage with all political parties in the North as to the best way to deal with this issue.
He said: "The rights of victims and their families must be to the fore, rather than the selfish interests of Governments and particular parties who want to cover up their crimes of the past."
Earlier Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain announced the controversial amnesty proposal had been withdrawn as part of a plan to revive talks on devolution in the North.
The Department of Justice confirmed this evening the OTR amnesty had been suspended, but no decision has been made to follow the UK's move to scrap the plan.
In a statement the Department said: "When the UK legislation on 'on-the-runs' was published last November proposals for dealing with the handful of cases that might arise in this jurisdiction were announced.
"It was indicated that such a scheme would operate in tandem with the operation of the provisions in the UK.
"The withdrawal of the UK legislation means that the proposals for dealing with the matter in this jurisdiction are in abeyance pending the issue being revisited in both jurisdictions."