Sinn Fein and the IRA must declare that the "war is over" for good and that weaponry will be dismantled, the leaders of the five main parties in Leinster House have stated.
A joint press conference addressed by all five leaders in the Mansion House, Dublin, yesterday to endorse a Yes vote in both of next Friday's referendums was dominated by the decommissioning issue.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, Mr John Bruton, Mr Ruairi Quinn and Mr Proinsias De Rossa united in calling for assurances that the IRA campaign has ended. In a stark warning to dissident republican groups, the Taoiseach said the security forces in this State would "act in the strongest way" to prevent their actions.
"People are entitled to an absolute assurance that the conflict is over, that weapons will not be used again either by the parties owning them or allowed to fall into the wrong hands, and that they will be safely and verifiably disposed of," Mr Ahern said.
Decommissioning had to be "addressed in a satisfactory manner", as required by the Belfast Agreement and had to be "in good faith".
He subsequently told journalists that, as party leaders, they would insist that Clause 3 of the agreement, dealing with decommissioning, be implemented. Clause 3 states that all participants reaffirm their commitment to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations.
It adds that they also confirm their intention to continue to work "constructively and in good faith" with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and to use any influence they might have to achieve decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years following endorsement of the agreement in referendums, North and South, and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Bruton, said both Sinn Fein and "its IRA partners" should make an unambiguous statement that "their war is now over for good". If there was a clear statement to this effect, the question of decommissioning would cease to be a problem.
"It is my conviction that, under any normal understanding of the agreement, no party can participate in executive responsibilities in the new institutions to be set up under it unless and until its paramilitary partners have stated that their war is over, and that they are intent on dismantling their military infrastructures permanently."
Endorsing the call for a statement that the conflict has ended, the Labour party leader, Mr Quinn, said this was not a "pick and mix" agreement. Just as people in the South were entitled to see real powers being given to the North-South bodies, so were unionists entitled to see issues such as decommissioning implemented also.
Calling for a large turnout at the polls on May 22nd, the Tanaiste urged the republican movement, in particular, to help build confidence among those who doubted its democratic credentials by telling where the bodies of missing victims of its violence were located.
Saying there must be a "decommissioning of the past", Ms Harney also appealed to the unionist community to acknowledge the "courageous role" played by republican leaders in bringing their followers along the path towards the pursuit of political goals through exclusively peaceful means.
Commending the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, for demonstrating bravery and courage in promoting the agreement, the Democratic Left leader, Mr De Rossa, said while there was virtual unanimity in this State on the accord, deep divisions existed in Northern Ireland, particularly within the unionist community.
Meanwhile, he said, decommissioning must take place in accordance with the agreements. Some demonstration had to be made that the "military mind-set" was over; if this happened, the question of decommissioning became "secondary".
The Green TD, Mr Trevor Sargent, who was not officially invited to attend because his party opposes the ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty, was present in the audience. In a written statement, he described the agreement as "a breakthrough for peace which must not be jeopardised".