Republicans must face down those elements who are profiting from illegal activity, Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble said last night.
Mr Trimble noted recent newspaper reports that the IRA was unwilling to sign up to policing arrangements because there were millionaires among the ranks profiteering from illegal activities.
He told a fringe meeting organised by his party at Labour's conference in Bournemouth that there was only a short window of opportunity for paramilitaries to help create the condition for restoring devolution in Northern Ireland.
"There is an integral between acts of completion and the direction of an election and when elections take place," the former Stormont first minister said.
"After November an election is not a sensible proposition. "We do need to get it sorted out or else this window of opportunity will close. People should prepare the move they have to make."
Devolution in Northern Ireland was suspended last October. Direct rule from Westminster was imposed by the-then Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid when unionists threatened to collapse the power-sharing executive unless republicans end all paramilitary activity.
Efforts to restore devolution have stumbled over the IRA's refusal to make a clear declaration that it will end recruiting, training, weapons procurement, intelligence gathering, targeting and involvement in all forms of violence from so called punishment attacks to riots.
Assembly elections scheduled for May were cancelled four days into the campaign by Prime Minister Tony Blair despite public assurances from the IRA and Sinn Féin that republicans would do nothing to undermine the Belfast Agreement.
PA