Former Taoiseach Mr Albert Reynolds has said the two statements issued by the IRA this week could indicate a view by the organisation that its "war" was over.
Commenting on the two IRA documents - yesterday's Easter message and a statement earlier this week on locating the graves of people killed by the IRA - Mr Reynolds said: "Both are indicative that they are saying in a convoluted way that the war is over. You don't hand over prisoners of war or bodies of people killed in war without signalling it is over."
He predicted that there would be eventual decommissioning of IRA and other paramilitary group weapons.
Yesterday Mr Reynolds said the return to Belfast of Mr Blair and Mr Ahern was a sign that both men believed there was "light at the end of the tunnel".
He added: "It strikes me as unlikely that the two prime ministers would be going back unless they felt they could push it over the edge."