THE possibility of a ceasefire still seemed to be held open by the IRA last night in a statement admitting responsibility for the Manchester bombing on Saturday.
"We are still prepared to enhance, the democratic peace process, the IRA said in a statement issued to RTE. But it also warned that to achieve lasting peace the British government would have to put the democratic rights of all the people of Ireland before "its own party political self interest Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams asserts today, meanwhile, that the Government knew he had been in regular contact with representatives of the IRA leadership to restore the peace process.
In an article submitted to the Irish Times before last night's IRA statement, Mr Adams says he wants to see an end to all armed actions.
He also acknowledges publicly, for the first time, that his party is split on the issue. "Some members of Sinn Fein, like those in other parties, may have a different view," he states.
Responding to the Government's review of its relationship with Sinn Fein after the Adare and Manchester atrocities, Mr Adams firmly believes the opportunity to bring about a peace settlement persists.
In addition, Mr Adams addresses the two questions posed to him by the Government in a more direct manner than before.
To the first had he yet gone to the IRA to ask for a ceasefire and if not why not he says. "The Government knows that I have been in regular contact with representatives of the IRA leadership in an effort to restore the peace process.
"I was not acting as a conduit between the IRA and the Irish Government so although I understand the difficulties facing the Government I was surprised by their question and by the way it was put."
To the second question does his party continue to support the armed struggle of the IRA Mr Adams says. "Sinn Fein does not advocate armed struggle. We are totally and absolutely committed to democratic and peaceful methods of resolving political problems."
Admitting "grave political difficulties" in the aftermath of the Adare and Manchester incidents, Mr Adams maintains that political isolation and exclusion can make no constructive contribution to the development of a real process of negotiation.
Dialogue provided the only real hope for progress in the present difficult circumstances.
All Sinn Fein's efforts "and the efforts of everyone we were in contact with" had the clear aim of rebuilding the collapsed peace process.
Up to the tragic killing of Garda McCabe, the engagement with the Government was particularly constructive. "We were making progress," said Mr Adams.
He believes the Government was more focused recently than at other times, especially in its negotiations with the British leading up to the agreement on Senator George Mitchell's role in the all party talks on June 6th.
"From my contact with the IRA representatives, it is clear that they view the British government's stance as the biggest obstacle to any effort to bring about a restoration of their ceasefire" Mr Adams concludes.
The British government's bad faith, so evident during the 18-1 month cessation, was at the core of all of this.
Its refusal to have any contact with republicans exacerbated the difficulty for those of them who wanted to play a constructive role in resolving those difficulties.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister expressed their determination to continue with the all party talks in a 20 minute telephone conversation yesterday.
In the pre-arranged call, Mr Bruton and Mr Major discussed the aftermath of the Adare and Manchester atrocities.
They expressed revulsion towards the IRA in relation to the two outrages.
The "position of Sinn Fein" was also discussed by the two leaders, according to a Government spokesman.
Mr Bruton and Mr Major also talked about the EU summit in Florence this weekend and matters relating to the Irish Presidency.
